Death or Life, Past or Present
by Xoxoroxas
Summary: Dark freaking fanfic. Very AU. A little OOC-ness, but mostly IC. Namine is raped by Vexen and tries to put the pieces of her shattered little world back together. a little gayness, but nothing too graphic.
1. Prolouge

***Hi everyone! This is Xoxoroxas, but you may call me Roxy. This is my newest story, but have no fear! I will not stop writing the 13th side! Any other fanfictions though… Well, whatever. I especially love this story, though I haven't fully thought out the plot. If you have any ideas, please tell me. This will NOT be a songfic, but I may have some music illustrate their mood if I need to. This prologue is kinda confusing, but bare with me, okay? It's very short too. But I'll probably upload the first chapter today too. Oh, this isn't in first person, by the way…. Anyways! Enjoy! Review!***

Prologue to Death or Life, Past or Present.

Namine Pov.

She stood on badly shaking legs after…

Vexen was asleep on the bed she had been shivering on for over an hour. She willed Vexen to remain asleep as she teetered to the door.

'Why is there even a bed here? I thought we were at school…' Namine thought to herself, clawing her ragged blonde curls from her face.

She looked down at herself in a daze. She realized she was wearing nothing. Whoops. She grabbed a shirt that Vexen had discarded as he carried her into this room. She didn't bother to put on any pants; the shirt was like a dress.

'It's not like I care…' she let her thoughts trail off as she quietly tugged at the doorknob and stumbled out into the street.

They weren't at school, she realized, looking at the domestic street. This was a house. Probably his house. She shuddered and continued staggering down the sidewalk. She felt a stabbing in her mind, but chose to ignore it, focusing only on getting as far away from here as she could. She knew he was waking.

He had discovered her at school. He had demanded this of her, something previously unthinkable. Ordinarily she could have fought him off herself or gotten her best friend Xion to get him for her. Xion was a self proclaimed "Gangsta". The thought of her saying that as she wrapped her arms around her pyromaniac boyfriend would have normally made Namine burst out laughing. Not today.

There was truth behind that nickname though. Xion, Axel, and their friends Zexion and Demyx had all been in a gang together once upon a time. They had almost sucked in some innocent people too, people that didn't even know who they were. There were the twins, Roxas and Sora, the loner, Riku, and a surprise, Kairi. Kairi was Namine's twin sister. Kairi didn't know that Namine existed. Namine had been a captive of the Organization. Namine, Xion, Axel, Demyx, and Zexion had all run away from the Organization before it was too late. They all had their reasons.

Then Xion and Axel fell in love.

Then Demyx and Xexion fell in love.

They never left Namine completely alone, not ever, because if they did…

Then Namine made the decision to go to a smart school. She was VERY smart, but missed her friends. She had already been contemplating whether or not to go back to her old school. It would be easier for the Organization to track them anyways if they were all spread out over a small area. But she would NEVER tell them where the others were, even though she hated the foster home.

They had run away in middle school. They had made it this far, all the way to junior year from seventh grade, since they escaped.

'That's enough' Namine commanded her mind as the memories threatened to take over. She struggled past the streetlights alone, hobbling up the sidewalk with no clarity in her mind. Under a streetlight she happened to look up and stopped dead looking at her reflection in the glass of a storefront. Her normally smooth locks of blonde hair were tangled into a huge mess of ragged clumps, the shirt she had picked up barley made it halfway down her thighs, and her legs… they had blood running down from… she gasped in her mind as she saw her face. It looked dead. And her blue eyes shone green with the power of the Mako energy she was holding back. She shook her head and stumbled onwards, a bit faster, but in pain.

She tried to use her mind, but it was unresponsive. She was coherent enough to know that Vexen was sneaking up on her. She tried with all her might to get her mind back to work as she felt a sharp stab in her arm and her mind escaped, perhaps for good.

Xion Pov

"Maybe she's just studying at a friend's house." Xion suggested to her boyfriend as he paced the floor. He sighed and ignited a cigarette. She sighed along with him, hating his habit left over from the Organization. Xion was as worried as he was. She hated this foster home and its stupid rules as much as he did too. She knew that when Namine came home Axel would pretend to be pissed at her to mask the fact he had worried.

If she came home.

Xion tried to block those thoughts from her head. But it was a possibility. One of the Organization, probably that bastard Siax, may have gotten her. Xion hated Siax with all her heart, especially after him raising her to believe she wasn't a human, incapable of feelings. She could feel. He had lied to her, telling her that if she stuck with the Organization one day she'd be able to feel something. He was right, in a way. If she hadn't been there she would never have felt true hate, true burning hate that made her want to kill.

'I've got to stop thinking like that, Namine is fine.' She reassured herself. She and Axel waited silently.

'At least Namine knows how to contact me.' Xion consoled herself after an hour.

After another hour she was pacing with Axel.

At the third of these hours she called Demyx and Zexion, though they had told her to never call at night. They promised to keep an eye out for her. They'd search in the morning.

The next hour Xion asked Axel for one of his cigarettes.


	2. Namine's Horror

***Hey peoples! Roxy here! Please check out Reese's page (TheRoadtoDawn) and stay tuned for an important message. (Reese: Tired of boring fanfics? Do people take too long updating? Well fear no more! Unlike Roxy ("HEY!") I will update on a regular basis (Maybe) and will take your comments into consideration!) Hey, it's Roxy again. Reese left before I got the duct tape. Damn it. I DO take your comments into consideration, that being said REVIEW! Thanks for listening to me rant, but I'm sure you just want to get to the next chapter. Later!***

Chapter 1 of Death or Life, Past or Present

Namine Pov

She cried out to Xion, begging for help. The barrier self created by her mind prevented it. She cried to Axel, asking him to kill her now. The barrier made it bounce off the walls and echo back to her. She screamed to Zexion and Demyx, though she knew they told her never to contact them at night. Nothing got through the barrier.

Vexen was having his way with her on the bed, and she was too drained from trying to break her barriers to even fight back any more. When he was asleep she finally drove up her strength enough to get out from under his sweaty body.

She covered herself tightly in a sheet and walked to the corner of the room. She lost control then, letting her mind slip back into the dangerous, but comfortingly predictable waters of the past.

***Flash***

**Namine was sitting on a small chair, being asked to draw. She loved this, this was one of the only times she wasn't in the horrible crate. The scientist, Marluxia, sat across from her. She liked him best, for a scientist. She distrusted them all, but Marluxia always eased her into whatever they were about to do, and often let her draw afterwards. **

**She hadn't really been out in the world much, so she decided to look for something new to draw. She casually picked Marluxia's brain for anything of interest. She found it. It was a nice scene, Marluxia and Lexaeus were hugging each other on a bed. They didn't have much on, but many of the scientists that came to see her asked her to remove her clothes. Heck, she went around half naked all the time. This wasn't out of the ordinary. **

**When Marluxia saw the drawing his face turned bright red. Namine heard him thinking that this was a major discovery, but he didn't want this picture getting out. Finally he merely asked Namine not to tell anyone of this picture otherwise he would no longer be able to take her out of the crate to draw. He explained to her that it was wrong for her to draw this, and that she should never draw a picture like this again. She nodded happily, wanting to be able to draw. **

**It was never brought up since.**

***Flash***

Namine came back to herself in the haze that always followed her lapses into the past. She cringed when she felt rough hands thrust her into lukewarm water.

"We wouldn't want our pretty flower to look bloody when there is so little to feel pain over. Yet." Vexen said, speaking in his backwards way. He scrubbed Namine, but when she felt some pressure on a place were pressure SHOULD NOT BE, she sank back into her past, leaving her eyes glowing green.

***Flash***

**Namine sat in her dog crate, bored out of her mind and wishing that they'd give her a new sketchbook. Hell, she wished someone would talk to her. She was eight years old now, old enough to know what she could do, and old enough to know that she should conceal it at all costs. The scientists injected Mako energy into her every day, saying that it had been proven successful on one of the scientists, Sephiroth. **

**He had the same green glow in his eyes that she felt in hers every time she saw him. The Mako in close proximity of each other made them react and feel each other's thoughts. Not just hear, feel. But Sephiroth was willing to die for this cause; they had cut off his mother's head to inject him, but he wasn't disgusted. No, far from it, he felt his mother had blessed him with this. He even went as far as to call Namine his sister because they had used the stuff inside Jenova's head to prepare her for the Mako. **

**He was even nicer to her than Marluxia, he loved her. She could feel it. But it was wrong; he had deluded himself into thinking that this was right, that she really WAS his sister. But she took advantage of it; she was the better mind bender. He was made as a physical weapon, she was a mental weapon. She hid all thoughts from him and placed happy thoughts of being his sister in their place. He smiled at her and slipped a small notebook through the bars of the cage along with a pencil. She was BEYOND overjoyed by this small gift and thanked him in her mind. He smiled in his mind and walked away. **

**Then she heard the screams that brought her back to reality. **

***Flash***

The screams were hers. No, they weren't. They were in her mind. She had broken the barrier while she was having a flashback. Xion's mind screamed to her.

'_NAMINE! Are you okay? No, you're not! I saw… I SAW… And we thought…'_

Namine listened to her best friend's incoherent thoughts; she realized she was back on the bed. So THAT'S what Xion saw. If Namine had been normal she would have asked for help or at least responded to her friends thoughts. But she wasn't normal, she'd never be normal again.

'_Namine? Please answer me!'_

Xion was begging. 'This is new…' Namine thought to herself.

'_Xion, please leave my thoughts. I can't bare it if you guys see me like this…'_ Namine sobbed in her thoughts, but her face was as hard as stone on the outside.

'_Namine, you know we can't leave you…'_ Xion began, but Namine cut her off.

'_Xion, it's the Organization. I won't tell them where you are, about you and Axel, or about Demyx and Zexion. But that's all I can promise. They have ways of getting information out of people, more than even you know, Xion. You only brought in people… You never… You were never locked up…next to-to them while they were tortured to death. You were never…never…'_ Namine was losing control she could feel it slipping from her delicate grasp.

'_Namine…?' _Xion's thoughts chimed in quietly.

'_I'm breaking the connection. I called out to you before, but I now know what they want. If I lose control and break the barrier again… ignore me. I CAN'T let them get you! Not while I still owe you!'_ Namine shattered the connection, but not beyond repair. She swallowed and braced herself for another flashback.

***Flash* **

**There were screams here too, screams that matched Xion's. A woman cried out for a man she loved. Twice. Over the course of a year Namine heard that same woman scream twice. Once for a man named Zack. And later for a man called Cloud. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of Sephiroth's blade being unsheathed. **

**The woman was led to this room, a brunette woman wearing all pink, along with a man with tall spiky hair. Namine knew she was going to be drawing this for a long time.** **Her brother forced the woman to her knees. She immediately started praying. Not for her own safety, Namine realized as she heard her thoughts, but Cloud's safety. Cloud was the spiky haired man.**

**Cloud called out her name, Areith, and reached out his hand in vain. **

**Sephiroth's sword cut through her stomach, leaving blood to pool at her feet. In that instant of Cloud's weakness Namine made a connection in his mind. As soon as Sephiroth left Cloud was locked in a huge cage near hers.**

'_**At least you got the big cage.' **_**Namine thought to him. He jerked violently in his cage.**

'_**Who's there?' **_** He demanded.**

'_**Me. My name's Namine. I'm the one waving to you from the small dog crate.' **_**Namine thought in response. Her eyes were glowing Mako green, but she saw a tint in his eyes too. She knew he understood.**

'_**Who are your parents?' **_**Cloud asked in a quiet mind voice. She heard him worrying about how a little girl like her got mixed up in all of this.**

'_**I don't know. I never really had them I guess. I've always been here. Sephiroth says he's my brother. He's very nice to me, says that one day I'll make mother proud!' **_**Namine boasted to this stranger. She heard his thoughts turn dark, thinking bad things about her and her brother.**

'_**I saw what he did to your girlfriend. I'm very sorry, but when she was dying all she thought of was you. Only you. I wish someone only thought of me for once. Sorry, getting a little ahead of myself. About my brother…He's not my real brother. I think he's a bit crazy. They killed his mother in front of his eyes and made him watch as they cut off her head and injected him with the stuff inside. I pity him. Funny, I'm the one locked in a crate, but I pity him. He has no control over his mind. I can make him better sometimes but it takes a lot. But then his head is clear and he's off in the world I created him, playing with his brothers in a field while Jenova watches them. He's back to being a kid, before the bastard scientists stole his innocence, his kindness. He's only nice to me. He thinks of you often, saying to me that you're our brother, and we should all be together, then he says families should never be torn apart… that's when I have to send him to the fantasy world or else we'd both have to watch his brothers and mother be killed again, and I'd have to draw it for weeks to get it out of my head. Oh! I wasn't supposed to tell you all of this! What if my brother finds out? He won't be nice, I won't be able to help him!' **_**Namine starts panicking, but Cloud sooths her.**

'_**It's okay, Namine. These Mako powers are our own. We don't have to share, no one else will know. In fact I can feel the barrier you put up to guard us from the outside world.' **_**Cloud says. Namine sniffles and smiles in her thoughts at him.**

'_**You're having bad memories. Do you want me to make you a world where you can go away?' **_**Namine asked sweetly.**

'_**Go away?'**_** Cloud asked warily.**

'_**Like the world I gave Sephiroth. Just more suited to you. It'll take some energy, but at least now I have someone mostly sane to talk to!' **_**Namine exclaimed happily. Cloud couldn't help but laugh in his mind at that.**

'_**Mostly sane? If you say so. Okay, make me a world.'**_** Cloud agreed. She knew he only agreed because he didn't care if this killed him or not. She dug through his memories. **

**She gave him a church filled with yellow flowers. People came and went in order one at a time. When he was done talking to one he went on to the next. A woman named Tifa, a girl named Yuffie, two children, a man named Barret, a old dude called Cid, a cat, a wolf thing, a man that the woman had cried out to before, Zack. And at last the woman. Areith. **

***Flash***

She was on Vexen's bed yet again. Didn't this man ever tire of her? Namine rolled off the bed and sat in the corner. She was lost, she knew it. She was a victim to her memories now. But the memories didn't save her this time as the foul man got up to attack her once again. This time he got a razor.

"Tell me where the others are, girl, and I'll spare you're pretty face." Vexen crooned. She violently shook her head. He cut her arm, deep. She made no noise.

"Scream for me." He demanded and slashed the blade across her stomach. She screamed for him, hating herself. She felt his brain feast on the sound. She shuddered.

"That was lovelier than I had imagined it to be. Do it again." He commanded and cut a line in the middle of her chest. It went on like this until Namine was sure she'd die of blood loss in another minute. He then stitched up the cuts with no painkillers and wrapped her injuries in bandages. She cried out loud, something she hadn't dared to do since she was little in the lab. She sobbed and sobbed. Then she let her mind open fully for the first time.

'This is new.' Namine thought to herself as she wandered around a blank white room. She loved white, it was her favorite color. Like an expanse of canvas just waiting to be painted over, drawn on. Namine was falling in love with this safe little room already.

'No… I can't stay here. If I stay too long how will I get out?' Namine asked herself. She slipped back into reality quietly.

Xion Pov.

Xion slammed her fist into the wall when Namine disconnected their minds.

"FUCK!" Xion screamed at the top of her lungs, undoubtedly sending the owner of the foster home into a fury.

'As if we couldn't take care of ourselves. We're just here for the free food' Xion thought to herself as her boyfriend raced down the stairs along with the owner. Axel gently pulled her into his arms.

"Another nightmare?" He asked sweetly. Xion nodded into his chest and let out a realistic sob. She HAD been having nightmares before, so this wasn't all that unusual. She knew that Axel knew this was no nightmare, not unless someone had forced her into sleep. Xion NEVER slept when she was worried, especially over something as important to her as her best friend.

"It's okay Mr. Seymour. I'll be able to handle it now." Axel said to the fat man who owned the foster home. He nodded, going back to his room to plan his next attempt to stalk Ms. Yuna, Xion's favorite English teacher.

As soon as the fat man was gone Axel held Xion at an arm's length.

"What did she tell you?" Axel asked warily. He knew all about her powers, he himself having Mako energy in his body. Not Jenova cells though.

"She…she was being raped! Her mind just randomly snapped me there, and her eyes… Oh lord, her eyes… They were glowing green! Not normal, not like when she reads someone's mind, GLOWING GREEN! Tunnels of green from her eyes! And that man, Vexen." Xion spat on the floor, not wanting to go on.

"Vexen, I thought he was dead." Axel said to himself, but Xion heard him.

"Well, he's not! He… was raping her! And she was dead looking and dripping water from her hair all over the floor and glowing and he was cutting her!" Xion whisper screamed to Axel, knowing she couldn't yell like she wanted to.

"Who would…?" Axel stuttered as Xion sobbed in his arms.

"Vexen would! And then the green mostly left her eyes, she talked to me! She told me she didn't want anyone to see her like this… She told me to leave! She shattered our connection too! But before it broke I saw what was inside her head, she's going back to the past again, Axel! " Xion sobbed out as Axel patted her gently on the back. Xion felt him getting hotter and hotter, just waiting for the time when he could throw fireballs and scream. He was very hotheaded, Xion was amazed that he wasn't burning her right now.

"You call Demy and Zexy. I'll look through her room." Xion said quietly, untangling herself from him.

"I think I'll just go over there. I don't even care if we get in any trouble; we need to move towns soon anyways." Axel announced as he jumped out the window.

Xion strolled over to Namine's room and sat in silence on Namine's bed. Namine hated this room. It was too colorful, she said, for her to get the right drawings out on paper. Xion's room was much better, she thought, as it was white. But they weren't allowed to trade. Seymour was very strict about it. The room was painted in weird swirls of mismatched colors that reminded Namine of the lab she had been in.

Xion looked through the journals that Namine kept with few words. She recognized some things in them, but never everything. At the end of the newest one she saw Vexen, but it was nothing too alarming. Until she saw what was shaded into the picture.

Sometimes Namine drew pictures that looked like they overlapped each other and often made no sense to Xion. This was one of the few pictures that depicted Namine reading minds. There were words under the paint.

"She's just like what I thought she was… perfect…easy…after class…"

Xion gasped. Vexen had been her chemistry teacher! He WAS the head scientist, but how had Namine not told them? Xion slammed the sketchbook shut and looked around the room some more.

She bent over and picked up Namine's cell phone.

Axel Pov

Axel raced over to Demyx and Zexion's house blasting fireballs as he ran. He was soon at the couple's doorstep, out of breath, but feeling a little relieved. Zexion opened the door.

"I've sent illusions to the police's brains of them putting her as top priority. Most of them did. Demyx is searching the water." Zexion said as Axel walked in, referring to Demyx's water powers from the Mako energy.

"Vexen's got her." He said quietly.

"WHAT?" Zexion yelled, scaring the shit out of Axel, as Zexion NEVER lost his cool.

"Vexen somehow got her to his house and is raping her." Axel said, surprisingly calmly.

"Vexen…You don't know…what he did…" Zexion said, desperately trying to regain composure.

"Vexen did something to you?" Axel asked, surprised.

"Yes… he did horrible experiments on my family… until they died. He convinced me I had no heart. That I should use my mind to take whatever I wanted. Much like Xion. He injected me with Mako, like everyone else, and now I have powers. But I thought I had no heart… I was told I had no heart, and I believed him because stepping into that mask of uncaring was easier that facing the pain of everyone I loved being dead…" Zexion stuttered, a tear leaking down his face. Axel had never seen Zexion break down like that, and he doubted he ever would see it again. Zexion put an illusion on his face, making him look normal as Demyx walked in.

"No luck at the lake. Hey Axel! What's up?" Demyx asked.

"Vexen has her." Axel stated simply and Demyx's cheerful face melted away.

"Oh no…" he trailed off, looking at Zexion's flickering illusion.

"He's raping her and we have no idea where he is. Not even what town he lives in." Axel said, blasting a random chair that was across the room.

"But…" Demyx tried to ask a question, but Axel cut him off.

"I need to get back to the foster house. Sorry about the chair." He said brusquely.

When he arrived at the foster home Xion was waiting for him with a cell phone in her hands.

Namine Pov.

Namine was fighting a losing battle against her mind as Vexen made her hurt more and more. Namine fought off memories and the fantasy land of her mind as Vexen attacked her. After a while he started talking to her.

"My pretty flower, how long I've wished to do this to you." He said to the dead-looking Namine.

"No response, eh? Well, I don't expect one. Not yet. I saw you in that crate years ago for the first time and knew you had to be mine. But Xemnas said I wasn't allowed to be near you. Ever. He said you were too young for any of this. But now he let me out to track you down! The only question is, why do your eyes turn green? It must be the Mako, but why whenever I'm near you? You must only save it for those you love. That must be it. Now scream for me." He commanded and cut her arm.

She did, but not loudly, she had been getting quieter and quieter as everything wore on.

Then, all at once he got up, drank something, and took a shower. When he emerged his face was different, an old man's face.

Namine shuddered even more.

"Oh, my pretty flower. Do you wish for anything? The world is yours!" He exclaimed to her.

"I wanna go home." She said childishly.

"I can't do that." Vexen said in a sing-song voice.

"A sketchbook. And pencils." She said quietly, resigned.

"Here you are, love." He said and gave her a huge sketchbook and a set of all the color pencils and a ton of normal pencils. She faked a smile for him and he rushed up the stairs.

She sat in the chair in the corner after grabbing a black nightgown from the drawers. She drew until her fingers began to bleed to get the images out of her head.


	3. Xion's Fear

***Hey y'all. It's me, ROXY! Don't you all love me? No? Screw you then. Anyways, after that last exciting chapter we have learned that Namine had a very weird background involving the cast of Final Fantasy 7 and that everyone has most of their powers from the game, except with a few differences. So, now that we've finished clearing THAT up, the show will go on!***

Namine Pov

The sketchbook and pencils were great for a long time. She was filling up the book rapidly, but there were still plenty of pages left. Namine sighed to herself as she wrapped up her bleeding drawing fingers and put the book away. She looked down at herself to see that the hideous scars that she though were going to be there were not. Hadn't Vexen cut her? Yes, she remembered it quite vividly. But who knows? She was going crazy anyways.

She walked to the bed and lay down. She needed to sleep; she hadn't slept in two days. Vexen had been upstairs for a whole day, leaving Namine alone with her thoughts.

Namine decided to reconstruct the connection between her and Xion. It took a lot of time, but it kept her mind busy.

A day later she was done. She began working on strengthening the barriers around her mind.

A few hours later she had the hugest headache in the world and Vexen came down the stairs.

"Hello my little flower. Have you been enjoying my gifts?" He asked in a mocking voice. She nodded blankly.

"Well, that's nice to hear. The people I live with don't know who I am, but our leader wishes me to get the man who lives with me. He wishes him to be brought back alive. Along with you. You see, well… I can't tell you about it until you get better. Are you better?" he asked. Namine said nothing, staring at the wall. He chuckled.

"Very well, I won't tell you until you are able to show me how you love me." He said in a suggestive manner. She tried to pick his brain, but her mind was too weak.

"Oh yes, I need to give you this!" he said, holding out a flask. Namine knew there was undoubtedly something bad in there, and she tried to fight him off, but it was no use. He won over her sore and weakened body. He shoved the concoction down her throat and started tearing off her clothes. Her memories swarmed forward.

***Flash***

**Namine was mind talking to Cloud in her cage when Sephiroth walked in. He was in battle clothes, ready to fight. He opened Cloud's cage and unsheathed his sword. He threw Cloud a huge blade. Namine's eyes glowed extra green at the amount of feelings that were coursing through Sephiroth's veins with his blood. Anger as he always felt before a fight. Love, this was directed at Namine for being his sister. Pain at being forced to fight his brother. Confusion at the love and pain. And also power. Power was always with Sephiroth. Namine began speaking in his voice as he thought.**

"**I see that you have befriended this little girl, my sister. She has told me all about you. She loves you, you are her role model. I wish I were the same. But she has also told me how strong you are, the strength of your heart. I will challenge this! Let the strongest heart win!" She and he yelled simultaneously. **

**Sephiroth charged at him. Namine felt the power that was running through Sephiroth as her own. She loved it. She wondered how she had lived without this much power running through her for all these years. She shattered the dog crate with her mind. Both of the men charging at each other ran past the other and slowed to a stop as they watched their "sister" slowly float into the air. A voice spoke through Namine.**

"**Son, stop." She said to her own confusion. Sephiroth's face contorted in pain.**

"**Mother?" he asked in a child's voice.**

"**Yes. You always said Namine acted like me, here I am. But I cannot assume her form much longer. Someone else is trying to speak. Just know I love you. Take care of your siblings, your brothers and I are waiting." She said. A glowing green orb fell from Namine's chest and bounced into Sephiroth's outstretched hand. He fell to the floor.**

**Namine felt someone else take over her voice. **

"**Sorry Namine, I just need to borrow you for a second." Namine spoke to herself in a sweet, clear voice.**

"**Areith?" Cloud asked in the same wondering tone that Sephiroth had used a moment before.**

"**Yes. You have to stop living in the past. Tell Namine to stop sending you there if she doesn't remember this. I never blamed you. Ever. Now you have to go back to the bar with Marlene and Denzel. Marry Tifa. You love her, she loves you. I'll be fine, I'm dead. I can't be hurt anymore, not even by you moving on. In fact, I'd feel better if you moved on. I'm dead, poor me. Whatever. I love you, go and live." Areith finished her speech and Namine fell to the floor, exhausted. **

"**Namine!" Cloud yelled as she hit the floor hard. **

"**Cloud, you heard her. Get out of here! Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You need to go to those kids and Tifa. They need you more that I do. And don't think I can't hear your thoughts about taking me with you. That would just cause more trouble; the Organization would be following you forever. Leave! Please Cloud! Areith told you to! Please!" Namine coughed out as Cloud thought wildly about bringing her with him or staying with her in the lab. **

"**I can't." He said quietly.**

"**Cloud, don't make me do this." Namine pleaded.**

"**Do what?" He asked blankly.**

"**I'm so sorry Cloud." Namine said. She used the last of the power to turn her eyes green and she showed him a horrible fantasy.**

**It showed him bringing her with him. Them getting caught. Tifa being killed the same way Areith was. The children in dog crates alongside Namine. Sephiroth untrusting of Namine, even worse off and more powerful. No one able to get out. **

**They resurfaced and Namine almost passed out from all the energy she had used.**

"**I understand." Cloud said. He kissed Namine's forehead. As an afterthought he took off Areith's hair ribbon from where he had tied it to his arm after she died. He wrapped it three times around Namine's wrist. **

"**Bye Cloud. When you are sure you're stronger than Sephiroth you can come back. Maybe then I can leave." Namine said sleepily. Cloud's footsteps faded as she fell into her first dreamless sleep in a long time.**

***Flash***

Namine came back from her memory world alone again. The shower was running in the bathroom on this floor. Vexen was here. Namine shuddered at the thought and wrapped the sheets tightly around herself. The water shut off. Namine's heart thumped wildly as she feigned sleep. Vexen ran his hand over her.

"I will return for you, my flower." Vexen breathed into her ear. As soon as the door shut she gulped franticly. She connected her mind with Xion.

Xion Pov

(Author's note: This is in the past, two days ago to be precise. Right after Xion found the phone.)

Xion held out the cell phone to Axel wordlessly. He took it in his hands. Xion already knew what the recent texts were, but she still read over Axel's shoulder.

STALK: Hello.

Me: Who are you?

STALK: That's none of your business.

Me: WTF?

STALK: I will get you soon, my flower.

Me: WTF?

STALK: You must have some idea who I am.

Me: Uh… Seifer?

STALK: Incorrect.

Me: This is creepy, how did you get my number?

STALK: A reliable source.

Me: Leave me alone.

STALK: Good morning.

Me: Leave me alone.

STALK: Good afternoon.

Me: LEAVE ME ALONE!

STALK: Good night, my flower.

Me: LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!

STALK: Xion! AXEL! Help! This man, my teacher, has me in his car! Help! 911 won't work! Please help me!

Axel stared at Xion after reading it all.

"What…the… FUCK?" he yelled, it was a good thing they were still outside.

"I don't know…Why wouldn't she tell us about something like this?" Xion said quietly to her boyfriend.

"But… We're her best friends!" Axel exclaimed.

"I think she thought she could take care of it all by herself." Xion voiced her thoughts.

"Yeah, she's been known to do stupid stuff like that all the time, but WHY would someone so SMART so something as IDIOTIC as THAT?" Axel yelled, causing a bush next to them to erupt in flames.

"Axel, calm down. Burning things won't help Namine at the moment. There's something else I found on the phone." Xion explained in a steady voice.

"Yes?" Axel asked calmly after a few deep breaths.

"Cloud's number is on her phone. Maybe he can help us sort this whole thing out." Xion said in the same calm voice.

"Let's call in the morning." Axel said quietly, walking to the house to think things over. Xion nodded, though she knew he couldn't see her.

The next morning Xion and Axel looked like hell. Dark circles beneath their eyes, Axel almost forgot his pants, and Xion wore one of Namine's short dresses to school. A pale blue dress. Xion was Goth. This was gonna be a long day.

After their last class Xion and Axel walked home sleepily. Axel popped open a can of monster, added two five hour energy shots, and poured the mixture in with some coffee for him and Xion.

Xion whipped out Namine's cell phone. They both stared at the seemingly innocent whit phone with a little cell phone charm shaped like a star. Xion slowly opened it and scrolled through the contacts. She hit the one that said Cloud and pressed the call button.

After the second ring he picked up.

"Hey Namine" he said absentmindedly. Xion could hear a woman's voice giggle in the background.

"Namine's gone." Xion choked out of her constricted throat.

"What?" Cloud asked, in the same steady voice.

"Namine went missing last night. We found her phone and we thought you might know where she was." Xion said in a slightly clearer voice.

"Do you have any idea where she might be?" Cloud asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"You know her powers. She accidentally brought me to her last night. She was being raped… by Vexen." Xion stuttered out.

"She…" Cloud stuttered, but was cut off by Xion.

"And her eyes…they were glowing green! Not, 'I'm reading your mind' tiny tint of green in the middle, it was freaking 'Light up a pitch black room in the dark' green!" Xion yelled. She was VERY glad that no one else was home. Seymour had taken all the kids with him to "shop" while he stalked Ms. Yuna at the grocery store.

"But she promised she'd be safe!" Cloud said in denial. Xion heard a woman's voice ask a question on the other side, but she was ignored.

"That's not all; she shattered her connection with me! She said she didn't want to be seen like this…" Xion trailed off, thinking again about her conversation with Namine.

"Do you have any idea where she might be?" Cloud asked, regaining his calm.

"No. Well, we got a phone number, but it was untraceable. We tried everything. So, look out for her. we need to talk to Demyx." Xion said as she hung up.

Cloud Pov.

Xion hung up the phone and Cloud stared at it for a long time. Finally Tifa shook his shoulder.

"Cloud? What was that call about?" Tifa asked quietly.

"Namine's been kidnapped. I told you about her. She's been raped and she probably is lost in the past." Cloud said just as quietly.

"Do you want to go look for her?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah, tomorrow. I'll try to contact her with the Mako stuff today. Maybe I'll even try to call Sephiroth, he'll be worried about her." Cloud mused.

"No! Sephiroth'll kill you!" Tifa yelled.

"What choice do I have? Namine's like a sister. I can't let stuff like that happen to my little sister!" Cloud yelled. Tifa winced.

"Sorry. It's just… she was the only person I had, back in the lab. She seemed to understand everything, even though she was just a little girl, because she could tell what everyone was thinking. Someone had to be really powerful to take her out." Cloud explained. Tifa nodded.

"I'm gonna see if I can talk to her. Can you call the others and explain for me? Tell Barret not to tell the kids everything." Cloud said, and he went to their room.

Xion Pov.

Xion and Axel told Demyx and Zexion everything they knew. They didn't dare put up posters or tell the police, for fear that the Organization would find them if they hadn't already.

"So, now what?" Axel asked as Xion paced in Namine's bedroom.

"Now…we wait." Xion answered, stopping her pacing to speak, then resuming.

After a night of pacing Xion's legs were very tired and so was her mind. She was just dozing off in science class when she heard Namine's voice.

'_Xion…'_

Xion snapped to attention. She ran up to the teacher, mumbled something about feeling like she was going to puke, and ran to the janitor's closet.

'_Namine!'_ Xion answered her best friend almost happily.

'_Screw what I said before. You have to come here and shoot me. Or kill me with your Keyblades. Just make this end…' _Namine's thought trailed off and Xion saw visions of pain and death.

'_We'll make this end Namine, I swear it. We told Cloud, Zexion, and Demyx. They're searching for you. We'll save you Namine.' _Xion soothed her friend, having no intention at all to kill her.

'_I don't know where I am… I just know that Vexen can change his face and he lives with some people. He offered to tell me what was going on, but I was too out of it to answer. I'm so scared Xion.'_ Namine mumbled the last words, making Xion's heart break. She couldn't let her friend stay like this, especially if she was asking to be shot.

'_Hang on Namine. And keep this connection open.' _Xion ordered.

'_I don't think I can. Every time I see him I just break every connection, the only three that still work are ours, Cloud's, and Sephiroth's.' _Namine answered shakily.

'_And even ours broke before. Try contacting Cloud, use Sephiroth as a last resort. Though I know he'll kill Vexen for doing this.'_ Xion mused. Namine gasped in her mind and the connection shattered once again.

Xion texted Axel. He met her in the janitor's closet in less than two minutes.

"Said I barfed." Axel explained.

"So did I." Xion responded.

"What's up?" Axel asked, looking worriedly at Xion's non-responding face.

"Namine contacted me again. She said 'Screw what I said before. You have to come here and shoot me'." Xion quoted. Axel winced.

"We have to save her." Axel murmured.

"Yeah, but she shattered the connection again. She said she accidentally shatters them all whenever Vexen comes by. The only permanent ones are Sephiroth's and Cloud's." Xion sobbed, losing her control.

Axel wrapped her in his arms and rocked her back and forth.

"Axel, we need to save her NOW." Xion whispered into his chest.

"I know baby. I know." Axel said as he stroked her hair and she fell asleep in his arms.


	4. Tifa's Shock

***Hello peoples! This is Roxy yet again. I am now going to begin writing my wondifourous story, but first I have an important message. PEOPLE, my friend Reese REALLY has a great story, Echo, and you should at least check out the first chapter. Please? Ok, and as always, I do not own Kingdom Hearts, REVIEW, and if you have time check out my other stories. Later!***

Tifa Pov

Cloud hasn't come out of his room for a day. Tifa was starting to worry.

After an argument with herself Tifa crept to his door.

After another argument with herself she opened it a crack.

After yet another argument she walked in.

Cloud was lying on their bed, eyes closed. He could have been asleep.

Suddenly he sat up with a gasp.

"Namine!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. He was silent after that.

After a while he hit himself in the forehead.

"What's up?" Tifa asked, revealing herself.

"Tifa, how long have you been there?" Cloud asked as he noticed her.

"Since about a minute before you yelled Namine's name." Tifa responded.

"Oh… I got through to her, but as soon as I did I saw her being… raped. And cut. He's killing her, Tifa. She's gonna die, and I can't save her!" Cloud yelled.

"Oh my god. We've got to do something! I'll ask around at the bar. I've gotta go to work or else we'll attract suspicion." Tifa said quietly.

"It's so funny when you use big words like that. See you later Tifa." Cloud kissed her goodbye and she left for work.

Namine Pov

Namine heard Cloud yell her name in her mind. It seemed to echo off the walls, or maybe she had yelled it too, because Vexen looked up. he quickly finished what he was doing and cut her stomach once more.

He left her lying in a pool of blood on the bed as he went to shower and change.

He came out and kissed her forcefully, then shoved a potion down her throat and departed.

The flashbacks came even more vividly than usual.

***Flash***

**Cloud had left months ago. Namine had made the ribbon invisible on her arm, never revealing it to anyone. Sephiroth apologized for not restraining his power around her and came by her crate even more frequently to tell her about the outside world that she had never been to.**

'_**You see, there are tons of other animals, like these' **_**He showed her images of bunnies and lizards.**

'_**I want to go out and see them all!' **_**Namine exclaimed in her mind.**

**Those were the good days. But the tests got worse, the scientists kept trying to get Namine to channel the dead again. She couldn't do it. She only did it that once because she was near so much power.**

**Plus she wasn't all that willing to help them.**

**The scientists decided that she needed a friend, and maybe a break from all this. They knew she was friends with Sephiroth, but they thought he wasn't good for something. **

**That's how Namine met Xion. **

**Xion walked into a testing room of her own accord. She didn't need to be led in or wheeled in by crate. Namine guessed that they didn't see her as dangerous as they saw Namine. **

"**Hello, my name's Xion." Xion introduced herself.**

"**Hi, I've heard a lot about you. You wield a Keyblade, you are not a threat, and you are friends with another weapon specialist. He has been injected with Mako that lets him make his own fire, while yours makes you produce light. You two seem to match that way, fire and light." Namine mused to the shocked girl.**

"**No offense, but where did you hear this?" Xion asked this strange girl.**

"**A little here, a little there. I'm not about to tell you. You're probably another one of their spies." Namine sighed, bored.**

"**Nope, I'm 100% Xion. I'll tell you a secret." She whispered, too low for the mics to pick up.**

"**What?" Namine asked in the same whisper.**

"**Axel and I are allowed to go to the outside world. The reason I don't need a guard and the reason I come back is because of Axel. Same with him for me. Because the scientists know they've got us as long as they have one of us. That's why I want you as a friend." Xion whispered.**

"**But then you have one more reason to stay!" Namine whisper-exclaimed.**

"**I know. But then you get to see the outside world. Plus then I don't have to be alone whenever I go out." Xion explained.**

"**You'd do THAT for ME?" Namine asked incredulously.**

"**Of course. I was in a crate before. You're just a little more dangerous than me. So, what do you say? Friends?" Xion asked.**

"**Fine. Friends." Namine shook Xion's hand and they went back to talking in normal voices. **

"**So, what do you like to do?" Xion asked Namine casually.**

"**I like to draw." Namine responded, holding up a sketchbook.**

"**Can I look at it?" Xion asked.**

"**No."**

**Xion took the book with ease.**

"**We have to get along Namine." Xion reminded her as Namine fought against one of Xion's arms.**

"**You can't look in there! You can't!" Namine shrieked.**

"**Oh please, I bet the scientists have seen it already." Xion said and she opened it to the first page. **

**There was a picture of Namine's mother. She was beautiful with long black hair in a weird Chinese hairstyle. She was holding out a weird white doll to whoever was holding the picture. She had a kind smile and was wearing a black dress.**

"**Her name was Lulu. She was my mother." Namine said quietly. **

**Xion didn't understand why Namine would hide this from her until she turned the page.**

**The same woman, dead. From an odd angle. You could see little hands holding Lulu's dress while a bullet was captured in the picture, before entering the already gone woman's head.**

**Namine had stopped struggling. Xion turned to her to see her eyes all the way green, glowing ever so faintly. Namine fell to the ground on her butt.**

"**Namine?" Xion asked carefully.**

"**X-Xion?" Namine asked uncertainly.**

"**Yep, that's me." Xion responded in a thoroughly fake cheerful voice.**

"**Don't EVER look in my book again." Namine warned in a deadly voice as her eyes turned blue again.**

"**Okay." Xion stuttered. She didn't need to be told twice.**

***Flash***

Namine Pov

Namine resurfaced from her memories, shaking and shivering. She went to the shower.

She was still bleeding.

Looks like Vexen forgot to heal her with whatever he used this time.

Namine climbed into the shower and ignored the stinging of her wounds as she washed them.

Namine changed the bloody sheets on the bed when she got out of the shower.

And Namine changed into a short pink dress. Not her favorite color, but she would never wear white here.

She would never wear white ever again.

Namine started to cry at that, but stopped as soon as she had begun. Another memory started.

***Flash* **

**Namine and Xion found a few things in common after that.**

**First of all, they both loved to read.**

**Second they wanted to get out.**

**And third they didn't really like color.**

**Xion's favorite color was black, but she also was fond of white, Namine's favorite was white and she liked black.**

**Xion always wondered why all of amine's drawings were in color if she hated it.**

**Namine always responded that color was necessary. Plus some color was okay, like people's memories of sunsets and memories of butterflies.**

**Xion promised Namine that she'd take her outside some day soon.**

**Soon Namine and Xion got very close. They were best friends.**

**Then the scientists revealed their true plan.**

**They took Xion to the experimentation room where Namine was refusing to read someone's mind. She was drawing. **

**Usually by now the scientists took her sketchbook away and whipped her.**

**Not that it did any good; she still wouldn't let them know all her powers. **

**She didn't want them to know, they'd just want to use her as a weapon.**

**They tied Xion's wrists together. This got Namine's attention.**

**They put Xion's tied wrists on a hook high up so that Xion was standing on her toes below it, facing the wall.**

**The scientist of the day, Larxene, cracked the whip against the floor.**

**Namine was too shocked to do anything.**

**Larxene whipped Xion across the back. Xion make a small sound of surprise.**

**Larxene whipped her again.**

**The whip never hit Xion. It slapped Larxene across the face.**

**Larxene smiled in victory as blood dripped off her face and her cheek began to swell**

**Xion was taken out of the room.**

"**So, you've been hiding things from us." Siax, Namine's most hated scientist, laughed.**

"**I have no idea what you're talking about." Namine said with a stony gaze.**

"**What was this then?" Siax asked cruelly as he showed her the video of the whip smacking Larxene across the face.**

"**That was God." Namine answered seriously. Namine had stopped believing in God the day her mom died.**

"**Well, let's see if God intervenes again." Siax announced. They brought in Xion again. **

'_**Namine! Don't do anything!'**_** Xion warned her in her mind.**

**Namine tried as hard as she could to heed the warning, but failed after the tenth lash to Xion.**

"**Stop!" Namine yelled.**

**Larxene whipped Xion yet again.**

"**I said STOP!" Namine yelled louder, making Larxene pass out.**

"**Well, well…" Siax said, reentering the room.**

"**Shut the fuck up, bitch. You hurt my friend and you eat shit." Namine spat at Siax, shocking the hell out of Xion.**

"**Nice vocabulary. I suppose you'll hurt me by **_**reading my mind**_**? Oh, I'm so scared!" Siax taunted. **

**This pissed Namine off majorly.**

"**You think you can stop ME?" Namine asked in a purely deadly voice. She detected a tiny bit of fear in Siax's mind. **

"**Well fine. Test it if you want, I'll be here all day." Namine said tiredly, spinning her attitude on a dime.**

"**We will." Siax countered, raising the whip.**

**Every time he tried to whip Xion it hit him across the face twice.**

**Soon he had an X on his face.**

**It never went away.**

"**Bitch!" Siax roared after an hour of being hit in the face.**

"**Yes?" Namine asked innocently.**

"**Tell me how you work!" **

"**That's classified." She responded smugly. This was more fun than she'd had in years.**

"**Well then, plan B." He announced. They took Xion off her hook and took her to another room. **

**Namine couldn't see her, but she could hear the cracks of the whip and Xion's shouts of pain.**

**After Namine had talked to Xion in her head and was sure that Xion WAS being tortured, Namine hung her head in defeat.**

"**What do you want?" she asked in a childishly desperate voice.**

**The scientists put her in a straightjacket, tied her up, and chained her. they sat her in a chair and put a gag over her mouth.**

"**Speak." Siax commanded.**

"**Okay." Namine said clearly, despite the gag.**

"**How did you do that?" He asked.**

"**Fuck if I know. You're the people who injected me with weird shit when I was little." Namine said in a monotone voice.**

"**Lift this." Siax ordered, holding up a ball.**

"**You could say please."**

**There was the crack of a whip and a slight shriek of pain.**

"**Fine." Namine levitated the ball in his hands.**

"**This is beyond scientific advances, we've created a super-human!" Larxene exclaimed, as she had reentered the room a few minutes ago.**

"**Human? This thing isn't human. It hasn't got a heart. Neither does that other thing in the other room. They're just Things." Siax laughed.**

"**That's not true." Namine said quietly.**

"**What?" Siax asked, feigning politeness.**

"**That's not true, we have hearts! I know I do! I listen to it when it's so quiet in the lab that I think if I make a sound the roof will cave in! I listen to the beeping monitors of the almost dead things you try to 'save' or those disgusting experiments that only think of death! I listen to the heartbeats of all the scientists quicken whenever they see me, the only person whose heart I can't hear is yours!" Namine ranted.**

"**Well, we seem to have a troublemaker on our hands. Put her in the box." Siax ordered. **

**Namine's face visibly paled.**

**The box was a dirty place. Swelteringly hot, smelly, it was like hell, just less cool. It was pitch black, wherever you stepped was covered in tacks. **

**When Namine was little she was sent to the box. It was horrible then, and they had put in less tacks and spiders.**

"**Not the box…" she mumbled, her gag finally muffling her words. **

**They flung her into the box. Onto tacks.**

**She saw a faint green and she was back in time. Seeing her mother killed again, being put in the box when she was little.**

**She was sobbing as she rocked back and forth on the tacks and the spiders bit her.**

**They took her out two days later.**

"**Namine?" Xion asked as Namine rocked back and forth on her bed.**

"**Xion…" Namine mumbled. The doctors had fixed up all of Namine's cuts, but they couldn't figure out why her eyes were green-blue and glowy. **

"**Namine, I'm here. I'm fine. You're fine. Your mom isn't being killed and you're not in the box. Wake up." Xion said forcefully to Namine. **

"**Up." Namine responded, and the green left her eyes.**

"**Good. Eat." Xion commanded. **

**Namine ate.**

"**Siax isn't allowed to talk to you anymore. They're still gonna use me as bait though." Xion told Namine as she ate.**

"**They know I'll obey. I never want to go back to the box." Namine murmured through her cereal. **

"**Yeah, I know. At least then we'll probably be allowed outside." **

"**I have an idea!" Namine exclaimed as it came into her mind.**

"**Yeah?"**

"**I can talk to you through walls and stuff right?" Namine asked in her explaining voice.**

"**Yeah…" Xion said**

"**Well, if I can figure out how to control stuff through walls, I can make sure you don't get hurt AND piss off the scientists!" **

"**They'll send you to the box."**

"**Plan B: I control some scientist's minds and we sneak out!" Namine whispered.**

"**How?" Xion asked just as quietly**

"**Well, you and Axel go out, you know, like they think they have you because they can track you and they have me. You guys wander around and I'll control a few scientists and then I get out. Then you take the trackers out and BOOM! We're gone!" Namine explained.**

"**Well, first we need someone to get the trackers out, THEN we need a way to get away." Xion rained on Namine's idea.**

"**Do you know anyone who can help?" Namine asked, thinking the answer would be no.**

"**Maybe." Xion said unexpectedly.**

***Flash***

Namine Pov

The door at the top of the stairs creaked open.

Vexen was there.

Tifa Pov

Tifa walked to work on the usual route. She was wrapped up in her thoughts about Namine and Cloud. They hadn't seen Namine in a long time. Not since they moved here.

They lived close to the foster home, only two towns away, and they lived with an old friend of Eraqus, a man named Xehanort.

Xehanort was a creepy looking man, but very nice to Cloud and Tifa. He had weird, but very interesting views on dark power, something that people who had 'magic weapons' could use.

He seemed okay, despite the fact that he shaved his head, and Eraqus said he was good, so they trusted him.

Suddenly Tifa was in the back of a van, one of the windowless ones that mothers always seem to think child molesters hang out in, and her arms were handcuffed. Something was injected into her arm and she slumped over, asleep.

Soon Tifa awoke at the top of some faintly familiar wooden stairs.

"What? Who?" Tifa asked disjointed questions as she turned in her handcuffs to face whoever was holding her.

It was Vexen.

"Vexen." Tifa hissed, looking him dead in the eye and glaring.

"Hope you enjoy your visit. I know you'll just love your roommate." Vexen answered with a smirk as he threw her down the stairs and tossed some keys just out of her reach. The door shut behind him with a click of a lock.

"Bastard!" Tifa yelled.

Tifa inched her way over to the keys and finally undid her handcuffs. She rubbed her wrists and looked up to see a girl with blonde hair hidden behind a large sketchbook, drawing.

Tifa jumped up, enraged.

"You could've helped me but you just sat there? Drawing? What the hell! Do you know how much we've been worried about you? especially Cloud! How can you be so SELFISH to turn away our help, just so we don't SEE you like this?" Tifa yelled at Namine.

Namine stopped drawing.

"Yeah, now I've got your attention? We've been so worried! And you wouldn't let us come! You left us! You made Cloud depressed again when he finally began to forget! And you won't even look up?" Tifa yelled, so beyond pissed. She normally wouldn't have yelled, but she had secretly been mad at Namine ever since Cloud got that phone call. He had been doing so well, then he disappeared for a day, and now she could tell he was worse.

"Cloud?" Namine asked in a small voice.

"Yes, Cloud! He's been worried sick! So have Xion and Axel! We have to find a way out, fast!" Tifa panicked.

"Cloud! I knew you'd come to save me! You promised, that's why you gave me Areith's ribbon. Areith's been talking to me lately, Cloud. She's been telling me to tell you to move on. No one knows this, but dead people sometimes talk to me. My mother often tells me to stay strong, so does Sephiroth's mom. She's kinda mean, to tell you the truth, but she has his best interests at heart. Dad never talks to me though. I don't even know who he is… Anyways, my room is so much nicer, don't you think? Tifa should visit soon. You and Tifa look so nice together. Hmm… I need to see Xion about her wearing my dress. I'm sure she took it, why else would I wear pink instead of white? Pink's my sister's color. I met her too, do you want to?" Namine asked the air, putting down her book for the first time.

Namine's eyes weren't glowing green like the others had said. They were glowing blue. A beautiful, dazzling blue.

Then Tifa understood. Namine created worlds for people, so this was her own world. Namine was lost.

And with that thought in mind, Tifa slapped Namine upside the head.

Namine's eyes cleared.

"Thanks." She mumbled, holding her cheek.

"What was that?" Tifa asked.

"It's been hard to keep my powers in control, or at least some of them, since I got here. I keep slipping into the past and my world. My world in my mind, that is." Namine clarified.

"Oh. Well, I just ranted at you for something you're not responsible for. I got kidnapped on my way to work and thrown in here." Tifa explained.

"Yeah, I was wondering why you were here. Sorry if I said anything weird. As I said, in my own little world." Namine said quietly.

"So, what're you drawing?" Tifa asked.

"You'll find out in about three seconds." Namine mumbled as the door opened and Vexen descended the stairs.

"Oh, my pretty flower! How are you today?" Vexen asked, holding Namine's face in his hand and laughing creepily.

Tifa punched him.

"Oh, you. Well, I have a special treat for you, Tifa." Vexen laughed again, revealing a large man in the shadows.

"Loz." Tifa hissed.

"Loz!" Namine said in the closest thing to joy she could muster.

"Namine. Sephiroth can't know about this. Jenova's orders." Loz grunted to his "little sister".

"You can't hurt Tifa though, she's my friend!" Namine exclaimed.

"I don't intend to HURT her." Loz grinned evilly and threw Tifa over his shoulder after Vexen injected her with something as she wasn't looking.

Namine Pov

Loz took Tifa out of the room into a previously locked separate bedroom.

"Let's give them a show, huh Namine?" Vexen laughed, as Namine tried to fight back for the first time in a long time.

Vexen cut her across her stomach.

Namine tried to hold back her screams as her memories failed to save her.

Namine heard Tifa scream from the other room.

Loz and Vexen were soon done. They both took turns showering and left the girls.

"Namine?" Namine heard from the other room. Namine didn't move. If she moved she'd go back in time.

"Namine!" Tifa yelled, running into the room where Namine was bleeding onto the bed. Namine still refused to move.

"Oh my God! We've gotta get out of here!" Tifa yelled, panicking again.

'It's funny, Tifa never panicked before…' Namine thought to herself. Tifa ran to the door at the top of the stairs and kicked it as hard as she could.

"It's no use. It won't break." Namine said, returning to her monotone voice.

"Why not?"

"They injected us with some stuff that makes us weak. I can barley contact anyone, let alone break anything with my mind. It takes too much effort to stay in the present to even think about doing anything like that." Namine sat up slowly.

"Namine, you're bleeding." Tifa whispered. She was in shock. She'd been in shock since she was thrown down here.

"And you're in shock." Namine stated flatly as she walked over to the shower.


	5. The Plan

***Hi! At this time I usually wouldn't be writing, but the Yo-guy (my brother) and his girlfriend are hogging the TV and I'm too sick to even talk them into letting me watch anime on it. So I decided to write a little more. Don't worry, I will soon update The Thirteenth Side. Last chapter Tifa was kidnapped along with Namine and we are nearing an end of Namine's strange memories. In this chapter Namine and Tifa will try to plan a way out of this and we'll see more of Namine's past. And if any of you have suggestions for chapter names and such, please tell me. So enjoy! Review!***

*****PS I think I said that Namine, Xion, and Axel were Juniors before, but Axel's the only Junior. Namine and Xion are Sophomores.*****

**Namine Pov**

Namine rolled over on the bed she was sharing with Tifa.

They had been too afraid to sleep alone, well Namine was at least.

Tifa had come out of shock… she was hurt by everything that had happened, but she was taking it way better than Namine.

Namine had been slipping back into her mind even more.

It had been three weeks since Tifa had been thrown in.

Namine knew that Tifa was dying inside her head.

She also could hear Tifa's thoughts.

"Tifa… I think I might have an idea of how to get out." Namine said quietly.

Tifa sat straight up. Namine retrieved her sketchbook.

"What is it?" Tifa demanded as Namine returned to the bed, sitting next to Tifa.

"Well, a while ago Vexen told me that he'll tell me his motives for all of this if I can show him that I love him." Namine mumbled to Tifa as she flipped through her sketchbook for a drawing.

She showed the drawing to Tifa.

"That's your plan?" Tifa asked in a scared voice for the first time.

"Yes."

"It's too dangerous! What if you slip into your memories while you're doing that! He'll hear you ramble about Cloud and Xion and all the other stuff you talk about!" Tifa exclaimed.

"We've gotta do something. We can't just sit here and let them do whatever they want to with us." Namine said distantly.

"Plus you want to know what's up with Loz." Tifa added.

Namine didn't need to nod.

"Fine. You do your plan. I'll struggle harder than ever against Loz. It'll help your plan, trust me. You're a smart girl. You can lie too. Wish none of that shit ever happened to you though." Tifa patted Namine on the head and lay back on the bed.

"I wish I knew…" Namine talked to herself.

"What? What do you wish you knew?" Tifa asked, still lying down.

"Who my father was. I never really thought about it before I went to my world." Namine confessed.

"We'll find him after we get out of here. I promise." Tifa rolled over to hide her tears.

**Tifa Pov**

Tifa felt Namine's pressure lay on the bed. She heard the lamp click off and the light leave from behind her closed eyes.

When she reopened her eyes she saw a faint blue glow on the wall.

Namine hadn't been sleeping really. She had just been succumbing to her powers every night for all three weeks Tifa had been there.

Tifa felt warm water streak her cheek. Namine reminded her so much of herself.

Tifa never found her father.

Areith had promised to help her search after they were done fighting Sephiroth, but…

Tifa drifted off to a fitful sleep.

**Namine Pov**

Namine closed her eyes and gave in to her power, just as she did every night.

She felt her pale blue eyes warm as they glowed blue.

At least it wasn't green.

Namine was back in her room. It was wonderful. Safe, warm, pretty. But Namine knew that she couldn't stay, she had to get back to her real friends. She had to find her father. She had to draw something other than nightmares.

But when she finished all of that, what would she do?

Namine shook her head at the thought. She had a few hours of time in this wonderful place, why waste them?

She decided to call her sister. She didn't know what she looked like now, but she had a feeling that Kairi liked pink. And that those boys would be hanging out with her like usual.

She could only contact her sister's thoughts, not her vision or her sight. Just the occasional image and Kairi's voice narrating her every thought.

Namine once heard her heartbeat.

It was in perfect rhythm with her own.

She listened to her twin's dream. A quiet dream. Of playing on a beach.

Then Namine felt someone shake her shoulder.

"Namine, wake up! They're gonna come in soon!" Tifa hissed at her.

Namine shoved her power back inside herself, but she got one last image of Kairi's dream.

Namine, looking dead over a sketchbook. Then a girl in an odd pink dress came up behind her. And Namine showed her the sketchbook she never allowed anyone to touch.

'In your dreams, Kairi.' Namine laughed to her twin as the image vanished.

'Only in my dreams.' Kairi's voice answered, shocking the hell out of Namine.

"Namine!" Tifa hissed.

"Activate plan A!" Namine whispered back.

"My flower! How are you this fine morning?" Vexen asked grandly as he barged into the bedroom.

"I-I love you Vexen." Namine mumbled, seemingly shy.

"Well, I lo- wait, what?" Vexen asked, getting confused very fast.

"I said 'I love you', Vexen." Namine answered in a clear voice.

Vexen looked shocked.

"I even put on this pretty dress for you. And I worked very hard on a portrait." Namine 'shyly' spoke, indicating to her dress and a page torn from the sketchbook in turn.

"I don't know what to say!" Vexen exclaimed.

"Then don't say anything." Namine whispered seductively and she pulled his head down low so she could kiss him.

When the kiss finally ended Vexen pulled Namine to the bed.

Namine heard the sounds of Tifa fighting harder than usual in the other bedroom.

"Hmm, she'll never learn." Namine said softly to Vexen, and then leaned up for a kiss.

"Learn what?" Vexen asked when he came up for air.

"That you can't fight love. You guys only did this because you love us and know that with time we'll love you back!" Namine kissed him again, thinking she was overdoing it a little, but Vexen seemed to think otherwise.

"Why didn't you tell me you loved me earlier?" He asked, suspicious.

"Well, I was unsure before. But a week after Tifa came here I figured it out. But Tifa told me that you were wrong for me. She convinced me to think it over, but all I could draw were pictures of you. And my eyes turned green around you, a sure sign of my love. Or at least a passionate feeling. So last night I decided. I wanted to tell you I loved you for a while. So I did. And now I feel so wonderful!" Namine exclaimed to Vexen.

"Tell me again, my flower." Vexen commanded her.

"I love you." Namine whispered to him.

Soon after that Vexen and Loz left. Namine gave Vexen a quick goodbye kiss.

"I love you." She breathed to him.

He left.

Namine collapsed on the bed soon after, her eyes glowing bright green

***Flash***

**Xion soon introduced Namine to her friend Zexion.**

"**Don't you think it's odd that you both have 'X' in your name?" Namine randomly asked while Zexion and Xion were talking about old missions they had together. **

**It seemed that in the beginning Xion, Zexion, and Axel had volunteered for this. But there was no way of getting out.**

**Xion had been in it since she was seven. Her family had no food. Her mother died. Her father disappeared. Xion was left to fend for herself when she found the Organization.**

**Axel had been in since he was five. He, like Xion, had been abandoned. The Organization found him trying to set fire to the lab.**

**Zexion had been adopted by the original leader. When that leader had gone missing he was taken in by the current leader.**

**The others had, for the most part, come of their own free will. Zexion talked about this guy called Demyx, Xion seemed to know him too.**

**Demyx had been found washed up on the beach. He had few memories of his family, probably because of how young he was when they found him. **

"**No, in fact it wasn't a coincidence." Zexion responds to Namine's question, shaking her out of her thoughts.**

"**It wasn't?" Namine asked.**

"**No. My real name is Izeno. Xion's real name is Oni. Axel's real name is Lea. We aren't sure about Demyx, but he had a real name, otherwise the Superior wouldn't have been able name him." **

"**Why is your name 'Demon', Xion?" Namine asked, referring to Xion's original name, Oni.**

"**My father hated me. He loved my mother, but he never wanted me. He was Japanese, he told my mother that 'Oni' meant a mythical goddess ." Xion responded lightly.**

"**Oh."**

"**So, we've worked out a plan. We'll need Demyx, Zexion, me, Axel, and Namine to be in on it." Xion announced.**

"**Ok?" Zexion and Namine said in unison.**

"**Namine, how are you doing with controlling stuff through walls?" Xion whispered.**

"**Good. I can also put up a soundproof barrier between us and everyone else. I can make the people watching us think we're talking about art. And I can make any plans we look at look like a drawing of either a butterfly or a forest." Namine reported.**

"**That's very useful, but why only a butterfly and a forest?" Xion asked**

"**I've drawn about a hundred of them. They're what I have the most practice with." **

"**Okay! So we will have a meeting tomorrow!" Xion exclaimed.**

**The next day they laid out plans for escape.**

**The day after that Namine met Sephiroth's brothers.**

***Flash***

Namine groaned as she sat up.

"Tifa?" she asked, grabbing the young woman's arm in a death grip.

"Yeah?"

"Do you promise?"

"Promise what?"

"That we'll find my dad."

"I don't know if we will find him. But I will try my hardest to."

Namine nodded. She fell back into her memories, letting Tifa's arm drop back to the bed.

***Flash* **

**A young Namine gaped at the boys that stood before her. There was no way they could be there.**

**They were dead.**

**Namine snapped out of her thoughts and immediately tried to read their minds.**

**She saw unimaginable scenes of horror and misery.**

**She was really gonna need a new sketchbook.**

"**Hello little sister. We just were going to visit you before we went to see big brother." The smallest of the group spoke, shaking Namine from their thoughts.**

"**But… you're dead!" Namine exclaimed**

"**Yes, or rather you thought we were. We thought we were. The doctor, Vexen, brought us back to life. I am Kadaj. The big crybaby's Loz and the other one is Yazoo. Sorry to run little sis, but we really must be seeing Sephiroth." Kadaj quickly explained.**

"**Here." Loz whispered to her as he passed. He handed her a new sketchbook.**

**Well, at least she could get some of their thoughts out of her head. **

**She drew past midnight.**

**Loz came to see her every day for a week.**

**He always brought her a present and she felt herself opening up to him, though he was scary looking.**

"**If you ever are in trouble, just find me. Your big brother Loz'll make sure nothing bad happens to you." he told her one day.**

**That was the day before…**

***Flash***

"Namine…" Tifa mumbled in her sleep next to said girl.

"No! Don't hurt her! I promised we'd get out of here!" Tifa yelled.

"Tifa!" Namine shook the older woman awake.

"Yeah?" Tifa mumbled, sleep in her voice.

"You had a nightmare." Namine whispered.

"Oh. Okay. Night Nami." Tifa muttered, turning over.

Namine wondered why Tifa wasn't all that effected by having a nightmare, when it hit her. This is all a nightmare, Tifa was better off in her dreams than awake.

Namine looked at the clock.

12:13 AM

Well, another rest into her nice world would be very nice.

Namine's power overwhelmed her.

Her eyes warmed.

She was in the white room. It was really quite beautiful.

Kairi was asleep too.

One little step into her troubles wouldn't be so bad.

'Namine, I've been waiting. I know you. But how?' Kairi asked Namine.

'You'll think it's a dream, Kai.' Namine whispered.

'I've been waiting for an answer all day at school. I can wait for you to stop being stubborn.' Kairi answered happily.

'It's not like you can hurt me, not now anyways.' Namine muttered to herself.

'What was that?'

'Nothing.'

'So, any answers?' Kairi asked her twin.

'I'll tell you if I ever meet you. Until then you'll just bring things back that should be left alone for now, otherwise the memories may become too strong.' Namine answered.

'Fine, have it your way.' Kairi said, a little disappointed.

'Don't be like that. I hate it when you have nightmares, this will only bring more. Just have a nice dream. I'll be waiting for you when I get out of here.' Namine kissed her sister on the cheek in that sisterly way and pushed Kairi towards a dream.

'I'll be waiting for you. Please tell me soon, big sister." Kairi said 'big sister' in a bit of a mocking way that reminded Namine that she used to live with Kairi.

That was before their mom was murdered. Kairi had been told that Lulu and Namine died and Kairi was sent to a foster home.

That had been when Namine could only talk to Kairi in her mind.

That was a long time ago.

**Tifa Pov**

Namine was lost in her little world again. Tifa was alone.

'Thank God, I need some me time.' Tifa thought to herself.

She was so proud of herself for being strong in situations like this. But now she broke down.

She hadn't even done **THAT** with Cloud. When she ran the bar she had been saving herself.

Plus she had always been in love with Cloud.

He had just proposed to her.

Now she was stuck in a basement with a girl who was going insane and two evil bastards.

She let tears fall down her face, feeling weak.

"Cloud… please save us… we really need some kind of miracle." Tifa whispered to the sky.

Then something clicked.

**Namine Pov**

Namine woke to Tifa shaking her shoulder roughly.

"Namine, are you awake?" Tifa asked.

"Now I am." Namine whispered.

"They're here. Pretend to sleep." Tifa said in an undertone that was barley audible.

Namine closed her eyes and breathed slowly, feeling Tifa do the same thing beside her.

"Shh, our flowers are sleeping." Vexen hissed a bit too loudly to Loz.

"We should just drink this and leave." Loz grunted.

"No, we must see them first; make sure they are still alive." Vexen whispered back.

'Like THAT'LL happen. He just wants to hurt us again.' Namine thought to herself.

When he walked in she heard his thoughts.

'This is new.' She thought to herself.

Cloud's face popped up quite a bit in his mind, so did hers and Sephiroth's.

There were a bunch of weird formulas that were mostly unfamiliar to Namine.

There was the Mako formula though… and the Jenova formula.

Namine nearly bolted up when she heard that he planned to kidnap.

It was Riku. He was one of Kairi's best friends.

Namine couldn't allow that to happen.

"Vexen?" She asked in a groggy voice. She felt Tifa tense beside her.

"Yes my flower?" Vexen asked in a happy voice.

"Oh. I love you sweetie. Night." She mumbled, faking a tired voice.

"I love you too, my flower. Is there anything you need?" He asked.

"No, wait… I need to talk to Loz alone. I haven't seen my big brother in the longest time, I just need to speak to him." Namine sat up and Tifa pretended to groan sleepily and pull the blankets towards her.

"Yes, my pretty. Whatever you wish." Vexen whispered to her, grabbing Tifa's arm roughly and dragging her up the stairs.

The door shut and locked.

"Loz… you promised nothing bad would happen to me…" Namine gasped out to him, latching onto his hand.

"Namine… I tried, but this is for the greater good, don't you see? After what you did before… I will only break my promise this once. I can't allow myself to save you this time." He hissed to her, a tear in his eyes.

"But Loz… I never meant for that to happen." She whispered

"It doesn't matter what you meant, what matters is what happened." Loz cut her off.

"Give my love to Kadaj and Yazoo when you see them." Namine said in her normal voice, clearly dismissing him and turning away.

"I will, and Namine…" Loz trailed off. Namine turned back to him.

"I'll save you next time sis." He managed a small smile and she kissed his cheek.

"I'll hold you to that." She smiled back very sadly. Then she called Vexen and Tifa back down.

**Xion Pov**

Xion stared at the ceiling of Namine's room.

She had been waiting for a month.

Waiting sucked. Her stomach felt like there was a lead brick in it, like someone had just punched the inside of her stomach wall.

Axel was as worried as Xion was, but he refused to admit what may have happened to Namine.

That she might be dead.

Or worse, ALIVE.

Namine hated that lab more than any of them. If they took her back there… and Vexen came with…

Or even worse, if she was alive and they never found her.

That would be horrible, even worse than the other two.

Because then the waiting would never be over… for her or Namine.

So she lit a candle.

She had lit one the one week mark of Namine being missing.

If things kept going like this Xion would run out of even the birthday candles.

The candles calmed Axel too, he loved watching the fire.

"Maybe tomorrow." He whispered to her, holding her in his arms.

"No. You always say that. It never happens. She's never gonna come back!" Xion sobbed.

Seymour didn't even seem to notice that Namine was gone.

"Seymour!" Xion cried, shooting up in the bed.

"What about him?" Axel asked, miserable.

"He hasn't even said anything about her! He has to be in on it!" Xion exclaimed

"Maybe. We'll check in the morning. You need some sleep. You probably only got five hours this month." Axel whispered to his girlfriend.

"What's on your mind?" Xion asked him quietly.

"I'm just thinking about Zexion and Demyx. They would be dead if the Organization found out about them. You know they don't like gay people. Even though at least two of them are definitely gay." Axel said quietly to Xion.

"Why are you thinking about that?" Xion asked, curious.

"Namine knows everyone's thoughts. She might have to tell them everything. Or she might be hooked up to a mind-reading-thingy that tells them whatever she's thinking. Or she might blab it out when she has a flashback. Or they might want to know about us and telling the scientists about all of us might be the only way to stop them from whatever they're doing to her." Axel explained.

Xion's eyes widened at Axel's suggestion.

"You don't think they'll… Yeah… They would do that to her." Xion gasped to him. Tears leaked from her eyes for the millionth time this week.

"Shh, it'll be okay." Axel whispered, holding her closer to him.

**Cloud Pov**

Cloud sat on his bed staring out the window, waiting for Tifa to miraculously appear.

No such luck.

He groaned and fell back on the bed.

'Namine… Please… Answer me…' He screamed into his mind, conjuring up the feeling of when they used to talk to each other in the lab.

'Fuck! Cloud! Find this boy. His name's Riku. Take him and his friends to a safe place. Or else he'll be put here with me and Tifa!' Namine yelled to him inside his head, showing him an image of a boy with silver hair.

'Holy shit, you answered!' He exclaimed.

'Yeah, Tifa's worried about you. We have no idea where we are, so just go and find them, damn it! Riku has two friends, Sora and Kairi. Find them too. If they don't want to go- and they probably won't- tell Kairi that Namine sent you. She'll respond to that.' Namine told him.

'Okay, are you guys okay?' Cloud asked worriedly

'Oh fuck no, we're not okay. We've got a plan though. See you.' Namine left his mind.

Cloud shook his head. Namine never swore. There was something slipping in her mind, he felt it.

"Hold on. I'll save you guys as soon as I save Riku." Cloud said to his picture from the last time he and Tifa saw Namine.

He packed his bags.

**Namine Pov**

Namine talked to Cloud as soon as Vexen and Loz left.

"Tifa, Cloud says he's okay. I gotta go talk to my sister now." Namine mumbled, lying on their bed.

She forced herself into her little world, letting the power overflow her mind.

'Kairi!' She yelled to her sister.

'Yeah Namine?' Kairi replied, coming into view.

'A guy with spiky blonde hair named Cloud will come up to you, Sora, or Riku. He is my brother. You've gotta let him take you guys somewhere safe. He's a good guy. He'll tell you that he knows me. Let him take you. Only bring things you need. Otherwise someone not as nice will come and kidnap Riku. Okay?' Namine rushed out.

'Fine. I'll just tell my friends to let a guy take them away because of a dream.' Kairi said sarcastically.

'Goddamnit Kai! You're gonna be raped and killed if you don't!' Namine yelled.

'Why?' Kairi asked, fear creeping into her voice.

'Because that's what they're doing to me, damn it! I can't let them do that to you!' Namine sobbed to Kairi.

'Okay, I'll tell my friends that my sister sent him. They know that you exist, they just don't know that I still talk to you.' Kairi muttered.

'Just tell them that your sister just found you. And she's too sick to personally talk to you. So she sent her big brother.' Namine said excitedly.

'Is he my brother too?' Kairi asked.

'For this, yes. I'll explain everything later.' Namine said as she started slipping into a flashback.

'Oh shit. I'll see you Kai.' Namine muttered as she fell into her flashback.

***You like? Probably only two more chapters to go until Namine gets out.***


	6. Unanswered Questions

***I am REALLY sorry to everyone who reads the 13th side. I just am totally inspired for this story, and totally uninspired for that. I sorry. I have a plan though! Anyways, please review and stuff! I love you all!***

**Namine Pov**

After Vexen's visit today Namine was cut up and bloody. But she realized the pain was coming back. Namine gasped and started sobbing, her memories held back by a small thread, but she felt power. Not the power of her memories or her world trying to consume me. The kind of power that she felt when Jenova and Areith spoke through her, but not as strong. She loved it.

She tried lifting the bed she was lying on.

It floated.

'Yes! My plan's working!' Namine smiled to herself.

Vexen was forgetting to inject her with the stuff that numbed her pain and took away her powers.

Namine sat up and tried to stand, but fell back onto the bed.

There was a huge pain between her legs.

'That medicine must have numbed me a lot…' Namine thought as she experimentally touched one of her cuts.

Her piercing scream would've woken her dead mom.

"Nami! Are you… somewhat okay?" Tifa asked searching for a good word. She knew that Namine wasn't okay.

"I'm great! My plan… it's working!" She tried to lift her arms in triumph, but they fell to her sides and she whimpered in pain.

Then the freakin' flashbacks came.

***Flash***

"**Namine! We're going out on a mission! Have fun here! Zexy, Axel, and I will see you before you know it, just chill here with Demyx." Xion announced to twelve-year-old Namine. They would be in seventh grade if they weren't here.**

"**Can't wait to see you!" Namine hugged her best friend, then set up a soundproof barrier.**

"**If anything goes wrong just tell them that I brainwashed you all. I'll be killed anyways, and if they thought I brainwashed you none of you'll get hurt." Namine whispered to Xion.**

"**I can't do that. You're my best friend. I'll say that I convinced you to brainwash everyone." Xion amended. Namine knew she had no chance of changing Xion's mind.**

"**Whatever. So, plan A, right?" Namine asked to be sure.**

"**Yeah, plan B is basically run the fuck away." Xion nodded.**

"**And plan C?" Namine joked.**

"**We just went over that one. That's the 'Sacrifice Namine and Xion' plan." Xion whispered, deadly serious. **

"**Just… Be safe, okay? I can't wait to see the stars again." Namine sighed and shut down the soundproof barrier.**

"**You'll love them." Xion promised. Namine smiled weakly. Then she kissed Xion on the cheek.**

"**What was that for?" Xion asked, incredulous.**

"**For saving me. And my sister." Namine whispered. Xion touched her cheek.**

"**Don't let Axel catch you doing that. He has a major crush on me!" Xion teased. She hugged Namine and skipped away.**

**Namine hugged her sketchbook to her chest and went to her room. Over the past few weeks all of them had been condensing all their stuff into a shoebox each. They took their boxes with them on missions and such, hiding them in the deep pockets of their robes they were forced to wear. Namine only had a few things and she could wear them. **

**She put on her favorite dress, a locket from her mother, Areith's ribbon, and took her first sketchbook from Sephiroth. **

**She and Axel had burned the others, except for Loz's.**

**It was so small that Namine could hide it in her small pocket. Along with a few pencils.**

**Her little secret, no one had to know.**

**Then Namine contacted Xion and they confirmed that plan A was go.**

**Namine all the cameras in the building from the walls. **

**She made guards run into each other.**

**And she was in the big lab…**

**But Sephiroth was there.**

"**Little sister, don't tell me you did this?" He asked pointing to the cameras littering the floor.**

"**Sephiroth, come with me! These people killed your mother and hid your brothers! Come with me to be safe!" Namine exclaimed to her brother in obvious disregard for the plan. Xion groaned in Namine's mind.**

"**Sister, we are loyal! We can't turn our backs on our family!" Sephiroth exclaimed.**

"**Sephiroth, I'm begging you. I need my brother to protect me." Namine said weakly, playing the brother card. Sephiroth's face softened.**

" '_**Wishing for tomorrow... my soul shatters. My pride is broke. My wing is broken. I am no longer able to fly...'**_** " Sephiroth quoted to me.**

"**Loveless? I thought you stopped reading that after Genesis…" Namine trailed off, referring to Sephiroth's friend who died in experimentation.**

"**I can't go. It's an honor thing. Angeal and Genesis. Who do I listen to?" Sephiroth muttered to himself. Namine was frozen in place.**

"**Go. I can't. If you ever need me… You know how to call me." Sephiroth whispered to Namine. He looked down. Namine nodded and ran.**

**She paused as she passed him. She held his sketchbook tight to her body, and then looked down at it.**

**When Sephiroth looked up again Namine was gone. But where she had stood was a torn out page.**

**A detailed drawing of Sephiroth and the people he loved. His mother and brothers. Angeal and Genesis. Namine and Cloud. Zack. Zack had been a volunteer for this. Then Sephiroth had to train him. Then Zack figured out that the Organization was evil, so…**

**Namine had drawn this a long time ago, there was a boy in the background with silver hair, but Namine had no idea who he was. He just appeared in Sephiroth's mind every once in a while.**

**She watched as Sephiroth picked it up and stared at it.**

**He fell to his knees and clutched it to his chest.**

'**Hmm… I thought he'd take it better than that.' Namine thought to herself as she ran. **

**She made it outside without much difficulty. Only when she went through the place where she used to be in the crates did a memory threaten to take over. **

**She saw the horrible Mako and Jenova experiments gone wrong.**

**It broke her heart.**

**All those innocent kids… dying for no reason…**

**Namine shook her head and hurried on, sending out happy thoughts to every child she passed.**

**Soon she was outside. She saw the sky for the first time in years. It was night, the stars burned her eyes.**

**But she stared at them. They were like dots, not the little "star" shape on her locket.**

**She turned her gaze from the sky and hurried towards the tower, that was where they had promised to meet.**

**She saw her friends and a bubbly laugh escaped her mouth. Xion looked at her in wonder.**

"**What happened to my 'Oh so serious' best friend?" Xion asked, hugging Namine when she approached.**

"**I haven't seen the sky in forever. I missed it. But it burns my eyes. And Sephiroth was…crying. And this was so easy!" Namine giggled.**

"**Not for us. We had to dig the trackers out of our arms. Let's go. We have to leave on the purple train tomorrow." Xion explained and dragged Namine inside the tower. They were camping out with the bells tonight.**

**That morning Namine saw the sunrise.**

**And after that they bounced around foster homes until now.**

***Flash***

Namine sighed as she surfaced from her memories. At least now there would be no new flashbacks, unless they were of the countless days listening to creatures that had once been human begging to die, or some of the short days with Lulu and Kairi. Or of listening to the scientists sick thoughts. Namine needed help, once her plan was put into action she needed a man on the outside. Someone stronger than anyone.

And the flashback had reminded Namine of the important fact that she had Sephiroth on her side.

Awesome.

Namine let a small smile take over her mouth as she concentrated on her 'brother'.

'_Sephiroth?' _She asked the air.

'_Namine?' _his voice was clear in her mind with disbelief.

'_I need you to save me. Come here in a week. Tifa and I are gonna die, please come.' _Namine begged.

'_I will, little sis. The scientists are doing some wonderful work! They're getting us even more brothers and sisters!' _Sephiroth exclaimed while Namine shivered.

'_Thanks. I'm sorry I haven't… called.' _Namine mumbled to him.

'_It's okay, just check in once in a while. I know I can convince you to come back.'_ Sephiroth said in her mind. She was the only one he showed his optimistic side to. Namine gulped guiltily.

'_Thanks Seph. Bye.'_ She hugged him in her mind and he grumbled.

'_How many times have I told you not to call me Seph?'_ and disconnected.

"Namine?" Tifa asked at the smile on her face.

"Now, we wait." Namine sighed and picked up her sketchbook.

**Cloud Pov**

Cloud looked around the parking lot of the school that Namine had directed him to.

Suddenly he saw the boy Namine had showed him, along with the other boy and girl that Namine had mentioned.

Bingo!

"Hey!" he called, running up to the boy and his friends.

"Yeah?" The boy asked, turning to him.

Riku, he looked a lot like Sephiroth.

"My friend told me to find you. She's Namine. Kairi, she told you, right?" Cloud asked the red-haired girl.

"Yeah. She called. I was just asking Sora and Riku if they wanted to come with me, since she's so sick that they'll never get a chance to see her again." Kairi's eyes watered with fake tears. Wow, she was quite the little actress.

"It's horrible that we just found you now. Maybe if we found you just a little sooner Namine would've been able to get better. As soon as she heard you were still alive she put all her thought into finding you. I tried to help her, but someone had to keep food on the table and pay for her meds. She got cancer. Stage four. Kairi, you have to see her soon." Cloud lied, making up shit as he went.

"Oh my God, I didn't even know it got that bad. When she called she didn't say… I thought she was exaggerating." Kairi gasped. She grabbed Cloud's hand.

"So, what's up Cloud? How is that girl?" Kairi asked, Cloud wondered if Namine told her anything.

"You knew Tifa, right? My best friend?" Cloud asked. Kairi nodded.

"She's taking care of Namine right now. Namine must have told you about Areith. She died after we dated for a while." Cloud told her.

"Oh my gosh, last time I saw you guys you were so much younger. Not that I noticed. You always seemed so much older." Kairi got a faraway look that added a nice touch.

"So, are your little friends going to come? We have to leave soon. I'm not sure how long Namine's gonna last. The doctors let her come home, but only because they know she's only going to be a waste of medicine at the hospital." Cloud looked at the ground, letting a couple tears pool in his eyes.

"Kai… You said you had a sister, but never a brother." The brown haired boy said, looking at Cloud.

"You didn't talk about me? Or wait… was it because mom told you never to tell anyone I lived through the crash so dad wouldn't get me and Nami?" Cloud asked, making up the random-est crap he could think of.

"Yeah. Dad knew we split up, but after the accident with you and Nami… he thought you were both dead. I thought you were dead for a while. Mom promised we'd get to see each other in two days, remember? She kinda got that wrong…" Kairi trailed off, grabbing Cloud's spun lies.

"What was up with your dad?" Riku asked.

"I'll tell you guys in the car, we have to get moving. I thought you said you had another friend, Kai?" Cloud asked referring to the blonde boy that wasn't there.

"I'll just tell him to tell mom that I'm sleeping over at Riku's. He'll just hang out with some of his friends." Sora said happily, pulling out his phone. Kairi shot me a questioning glance, and Cloud shrugged. The blonde wasn't important. Namine didn't even know his name or his face, just his hair. The scientists wouldn't be after him.

"Sure. Tell him to pack you an overnight bag." Kairi suggested. Sora nodded and texted his brother.

"Can we swing by our houses before we go?" Kairi asked Cloud. He nodded.

'_Look, I'm not real good with the whole mind talking thing, but I need to know… Are we really gonna see Namine?'_ Kairi asked.

'_Sorry Kai… no. We can't, I don't even know where she is, she just burst into my mind last night begging me to come and save you guys. She was kidnapped and taken by a very bad man. Along with my fiancé Tifa. They're the only two people I care about more than everything and now… It's like the universe wants to screw me over.' _Cloud thought bitterly to Kairi. He didn't know why, but he felt himself opening up to her. Maybe because she's related to Namine.

'_Wait! That's it! Maybe they took them because of you! Would anyone want to get to you for any reason?' _Kairi burst out.

'_No… Wait. There are some people… Tell that to Namine when she calls you. Now break the connection, we don't know if the scientists can track it.'_ Cloud ordered.

'_Okay. Over and out.'_ Kairi said seriously in Cloud's head. They stopped at Sora's house and a guy with blonde hair walked out with a backpack.

"Later Sora. Where are you going anyways?" The blonde asked.

"We're gonna see Kairi's sister. She's really sick." Sora answered.

"Oh. Hope she gets better Kairi. Who's he?" The boy asked pointing to Cloud.

"I'm Cloud. I'm Kairi and Namine's older brother." Cloud said, extending his hand to the other blonde.

"I'm Roxas. Well, I gotta go inside. I have a thirty page paper due by Monday." He groaned and walked inside.

"That was my dorky little brother." Sora commented as they drove to Riku's house.

"Phs, he's only like a few seconds younger than you. Plus he acts way older than you, Sora." Riku laughed at his friend as he climbed out of his car to get his backpack.

'Shit, how do parents do this? I have no idea what to say to them!' Cloud thought to himself.

They talked for a few hours on the road. Then They decided to include Cloud.

"Hey Cloud, what do you do for work?" Sora asked Cloud interestedly.

"Well, I used to work as a fighting teacher. I taught sword-fighting and some martial arts to kids, but now I work as a medical assistant. It gets me discounts for Namine's bills." Cloud responded, lying about the doctor thing. He didn't lie about the fighting.

"Oh cool! Can we spar?" Sora asked excitedly.

"Sure. I gotta call someone for a sec." Cloud answered cheerily. Now for Namine's death.

Cloud pulled into a gas station.

He climbed out of the car and called Barret. They had gone over this before.

"Yo, what's up with Nami?" Cloud asked happily.

"Uh… Cloud? Remember you still have Marlene and Denzel." Barret reminded him in a tone of avoidance.

"Yeah, how are they too? I need to see them soon. Do you need me to baby-sit them again?" Cloud asked.

"No. Uh… how far away are you?" Barret asked, avoiding the first question yet again.

"Pretty far. Namine just found where Kairi was so I went to pick her up. We'll be at my house in a few hours though." Cloud answered while the teens got out to stretch.

"Umm…. You should hurry. Namine's not gonna last long, she's asking for you and Kairi." Barret burst out.

"What?" Cloud asked.

"Tifa's there, but Namine can't even see her. She's just asking for you and Kairi." Barret admitted.

'Damn, where did we learn how to act this well?' Cloud asked himself.

"… She's still alive, right?" Cloud asked after a long silence. Kairi stopped mid-stretch.

"Yeah, but… Hurry, okay?" Barret warned as he hung up. Cloud just stood there with the phone pressed to his ear. After a few minutes of feeling the teens' eyes on him he slid it back down into his pocket.

"Namine… We gotta get there fast." Cloud said quietly.

"Is she okay?" Kairi asked, truly worried.

"No. But she's alive." Cloud answered.

"Guys, we gotta get going." Kairi ordered her friends.

Just then the scientists came. They grabbed Sora and Riku before anyone could react.

"Shit!" Cloud yelled, running to his car, but it was no use. They had the fastest cars.

"What the hell?" Kairi asked Cloud, staring after the cars.

"That would be why Namine wanted me to save you. Good acting, by the way. But it was useless. We gotta get them back. Namine NEEDS me to get them back. Or we might not see her again." Cloud mumbled the last thing to himself, knowing that Namine thought this was all her fault.

"What's going on?" Kairi asked, Cloud looked doubtfully at her.

"I wish I could tell you, but Namine wants to tell you everything I know, and I don't know half of what's happening." Cloud responded, driving well over the speed limit with a tiny speck of the car in the distance.

"Aww… I really fucked it up. I promised Namine this was easy." Cloud groaned as the car slipped out of his sight.

"We can still fix this. God, I hope Sora and Riku are okay." Kairi whispered as they devised a plan, still driving as fast as they could towards where they last saw the car.

**Riku Pov**

Riku felt someone grab him from behind as he listened to Kairi tell him to get in the car. Riku saw Sora grabbed from behind too, and they were both thrust into a car. They summoned their blades, but someone bound their wrists and put a light over them that made the keys disappear.

"What the hell?" Riku spat out, looking at the cloaked figure.

"You like the lights? They are a weakness, a keyblade master's kryptonite." The man said with a smile in his voice. His accent was faintly British.

"Why are we tied up?" Sora asked next to him. Riku looked at his best friend with a warning glance as he recognized the robes.

"We are the Organization, Riku seems to remember it. Roxas would too." The man smirked. He's right. It's the reason they have the keyblades, the reason that Kairi's sister probably had such a hard time finding them.

When they were all Sora and Roxas were six and Riku was seven they found a girl wandering around their town, mumbling about Nami and mama. They took her to their foster home; they all lived in it for the time, and begged the woman to let her stay. She let Kairi stay and they never really questioned her. Until Roxas was kidnapped.

He was really good at fighting; he was even able to fight with two swords. So the Organization kidnapped him along with Sora. And Sora never went anywhere without Riku, so they ended up kidnapping him too. And since Kairi was unlucky enough to be with them that day, she was taken too.

They separated Roxas and Sora, giving Roxas one of those god-forsaken robes and telling him he had to fight and capture people.

That lasted for only about a year until they devised a plan out.

Riku and Sora had been trained to fight, but kept in cages.

Kairi had been taken to god-knows-where. She never told them.

It was horrible, but Roxas got them out of there.

He left his friends behind just to get them out.

Riku snapped out of his thoughts and returned to the matter at hand.

"Who the fuck are you?" He snapped at the hooded figure.

"Why Riku, I'm surprised you didn't remember." The figure laughed, revealing her face. Two hair antennas bobbed out of her black hood.

Riku gasped. It was Larxene.


	7. A New Roommate

***Hi guys, I updated the Thirteenth Side (Reese: Finally.) Oh, did I hear something? Or was it the girl who I supposedly TIED UP? Anyways, I gotta write this fast or Reese here will get mad. She's my bestie. So's Pandiction and Care Bear. But Reese will be the one RUDELY barging in on my introductions. Some of you may know her from my intros for the Thirteenth Side. Whatever. Check out her page, she's TheRoadtoDawn. So we left off with Namine and Tifa's plan going to action and Riku and Sora being kidnapped by Larxene. Plus we KINDA met Roxas. And Kairi's with her "brother" Cloud. Oh, and Namine talked to Sephiroth. Did I get everything? Good. Lots more pain in this chapter, since Namine can actually feel it.***

**Namine Pov**

Namine groaned. It was the only sound she'd been able to make since Vexen left this time. Oh Gods. She refused to give in to the memories, feeling that a memory of testing in the lab was in her brain. But it might be better than the pain. The slashes up her arms felt like cold fire. It was almost numb from how blinding the pain was. Her limbs were so bruised; they almost looked like she was purely purple and brown. She didn't even want to look at the cuts between her legs; she'd flash back to the first week here.

Namine tried to get up like she had in the past, but ended up sinking further into the bed.

Tifa rushed out, blood seeping from her own wounds. She still had the numbing medicine in her veins; she could take care of Namine.

She ran to the cabinet in the bathroom and secured bandages and some pain-killing-bacteria-fighting-kick-ass goop. Tifa dampened some washcloths and brought it all to Namine's bedside.

"This'll sting a little" She warned the still groaning Namine, who was looking through Tifa's mind as she spoke, happy about regaining her powers.

Tifa wiped off all of Namine's cuts, making Namine literally blind with pain, and squeezed the goop onto the now clean gashes. Namine sighed in relief, her vision coming back to her. The pain was slowly leeching away, leaving Namine extremely tired.

Namine got up though, she grabbed some bread and filled two plastic cups with water from the bathroom. The goop was numbing the pain quickly, but Namine felt as though her limbs weren't attached to her body.

"Where do we get food from anyways?" Tifa asked as Namine came to her, balancing everything awkwardly.

"He puts it in the closet. We're technically not supposed to get food, and the medicine makes us not notice. But once in a while when I remember I find some bread in there. It's a bit stale though." Namine explained, remembering when she first found it in her first week.

"Oh. I kinda was just wondering. You look like hell Namine, take a nap or something." Tifa commanded, mother mode taking over.

"Okay. Slap me or something if I start screaming, 'kay?" Namine asked, laying her head on the pillow.

Her eyes glowed green as horrible memories haunted her brain.

**Riku Pov**

Larxene sat smirking down at Riku and Sora in the back of the long car.

"Look Larxene, any other time you want to kidnap us would be great, but today we have some urgent appointments. Someone Kairi cares about is going to die and we haven't even _met_ her yet. So like, grow some kind of soul and let us go this once. We'll owe you." Sora said reasonably.

If Riku's hands were free he would've facepalmed.

Larxene looked mildly offended by the soul comment, but replaced her smirk quickly.

"Soul? I have a soul. It's a heart I'm missing, retard. Who is this person you so desperately want to meet." Larxene questioned.

"Like we're gonna tell you. You'll just kill her sooner." Sora spat.

'Wow he really hates her' Riku thought, 'I thought he wouldn't remember half the stuff that happened then, he was sick so much…'

"Well," Larxene began, interrupting Riku's thoughts, "If the person you're talking about is the person I'm thinking of, then she doesn't have long. Especially if she thinks about suicide. And if I know her she will think about it. A lot. She did when we were testing her." Larxene laughed, sipping a beer from out of nowhere.

"Okay, you leave me with no choice." Riku said calmly. He summoned his keyblades to his tied hands. Light flashed and his blades disappeared.

"What the-?" He asked as Larxene laughed again.

"Oh, you never thought we would give you something without being able to take it away, did you? Silly Riku, free stuff's for kids. In fact kids don't get free stuff from us." Larxene smirked as Riku and Sora death glared at her.

"Remember, we only want Riku this time, just let Sora out somewhere on the road." A tall hooded figure grunted from the front seat. He had the slightest of British accents and spoke in an emotionless, deep voice. Xaldin.

"What?" Sora asked as Larxene shoved him out the window, the TINY window.

'Ouch.' Riku thought as he watched his best friend land harshly on the ground and start rolling as the car sped away.

'Shit, that might've killed him.' Riku thought as he followed Sora with his eyes, trying to see if he was alive. After he stopped rolling he lie at a funny angle on the hard-packed earth that was the road. Better than concrete. Before Riku could be sure if his friend was still in the ranks of the living the car took a sharp turn and Riku couldn't see Sora anymore.

'Ah well… He's taken harder hits than that.' Riku thought, trying to reassure himself.

"So, where are we going, Larx?" Riku asked, pissing off Larxene.

"You'll see in about… Now." They pulled up in a driveway and Riku was injected with something that made everything turn black.

**Namine Pov**

The door creaked to the upstairs. Namine got up, hissing in pain, and limped to the door in a skimpy nightdress and a very fake smile. Had to keep up the show.

Larxene threw something down the stairs and laughed.

"That'll teach him to call me Larx." She muttered to herself as she left and locked the door.

The something was a boy.

With silver hair.

And tall.

And skinny.

"Kadaj?" Namine whispered, turning the boy on his back.

Nope.

"Ugg… Roxas?" Riku asked, looking up.

"No. I'm Namine." She explained, helping him to the bed.

"Wait… Namine… You're supposed to be dying!" Riku exclaimed.

"Well, I kinda am. Damn it! Fuck!" Namine cursed under her breath.

"What?" Riku asked, sitting up. Namine pushed him back down.

"Cloud and Kairi were supposed to rescue you and that brown haired kid." Namine cursed a few more times.

"Sora? Oh my God, what the hell is going on?" Riku asked, holding his head.

"Ah, they gave you an injection. Lucky. I told Kairi to tell you whatever she told you and sent Cloud. Oh, I hope they don't do all this shit to you." Namine mumbled.

"Lucky? Shit?" Riku asked. He sat up again and saw Namine in a full view for the first time.

He gasped.

Namine's arms were solid brown and purple. The only white skin Riku could see were lines of white under the bruises, mixed in with the angry red slashes. There was the occasional bloody bandage.

His eyes trailed down to see some normal color in her legs along with bruises and cuts. The cuts were the worst on her upper thighs, getting fewer and fewer as he looked down.

He looked at her face last.

Her gold hair had been matted and cut to just below her ears. Her eyes were too blue, with panda-like bruises surrounding them. Her lip was split and a little swollen. There were bite marks all down her neck.

Namine heard Riku's thoughts... they weren't pretty.

"Riku… I owe you an explanation. I can't give you the full story, but I can tell you a little." Namine offered, hearing his confusion.

"Yeah… an explanation would be good." Riku mumbled, transfixed by her appearance.

"First promise me you won't tell any of this to Kairi or …what was his name? Sora." Namine ordered. Riku thought for a minute.

"…I promise." He whispered, his curiosity taking over.

"My chemistry teacher kidnapped me. He was from the Organization. Don't tell me about how you were too. I know. Kairi dreams about it a lot. Anyways, he kidnapped me, took me here, and raped me. I got out that first night, but never again. He gave me this numbing medicine that you have in your system right now. It takes away your powers though, so I couldn't break down the door or anything. Then they sent Tifa in. She gets raped by my brother. I get raped by my teacher. And then I figured out a way to get my powers back, pretend I'm in love with him. My teacher, not my brother. And it's been working, almost everything's out of my system. I can feel all the pain now though. And my powers cause flashbacks. So I saw your face in my teacher's mind. I talked to Kairi and Cloud and told them to save you and Sora before they got you too. Didn't really work, did it?" Namine asked, letting herself plop onto the bed.

"They got me and Sora, they pushed Sora out of the car on top speed, injected me with something, and dropped me here." Riku explained.

"Well, we're gonna be roommates then. I'll get Tifa. Ugg… We don't get food for another week! We ate all the stuff in the closet… well; I ate all the stuff in the closet. The medicine used to make us not hungry…" Namine talked to herself as she went to get Tifa.

Namine took a good look at Tifa as she slept. She was cut up and bruised, though not as much as Namine. She was getting skinnier. If they didn't kill them with the knives, Vexen and Loz would kill them with starvation. At least, they'd kill Tifa. Namine felt really bad about eating all the food before thinking about Tifa. Next time she'd make Tifa eat at LEAST three quarters of the bread.

"Tifa, we got a new roommate." Namine said, shaking the brunette's shoulder.

"Who?" She asked, yawning.

"Riku." Namine answered. She led the sleepy Tifa to the main room, not that it was very big.

Tifa screamed as all she saw was silver hair. She ran to the other room and locked the door.

Namine sighed. She probably should've expected that.

Namine walked to the door. She focused all her thoughts on the keyhole. There was a slight click and it opened.

"Cool! You can open doors without summoning your blade?" Riku asked. Namine, not willing to give the real explanation, nodded.

"Why can't we do that to the other door?" He asked.

"You'll pass out." Namine replied, walking into Tifa's room where she was shivering under the covers. Riku stood by the doorway, ready to bolt out as soon as Tifa started screaming again.

"Namine, I thought you liked me." Tifa whispered into her pillow.

"I do, Tifa." Namine countered, patting her friend's shoulder.

"Then why… WHY would you bring that man here without warning?" Tifa muttered.

"It's not Loz. It's not even Sephiroth, Yazoo, or Kadaj. It's Riku! He's gonna be our… friend. He'll be our friend, Tifa. I don't think he's related at all to Sephiroth or Loz. Please Tifa, he got kidnapped, just like you! It's not his fault he has silver hair!" Namine glanced at Riku as she said friend. He nodded to her.

"Stop talking to me like I'm three!" Tifa yelled.

"Then act like a big girl! I know Loz is horrible, but if he had blond hair would you scream every time you saw me? Riku's hair isn't even cut like his! Plus Loz is like, HUGE! Riku's been forced into the same situation we've been forced into. But we've got to pull it together! We can let all out feelings out when we escape from here, that's what I'm gonna do, but for now we have to focus on getting out!" Namine yelled at Tifa.

"Alright. I suppose I overreacted. I apologize, Riku." Tifa called over Namine's bruised shoulder.

"No harm done." He replied.

"Nami, can you leave me alone for a bit? I've gotta get my rest in before THEY come back. You look like shit too, take a nap." Tifa ordered.

"Can't. It'll creep Riku out, and we don't want him to be freaked out by us on the first day." Namine said, knowing Riku would hear.

"Nah, nothing can scare me at this point." Riku returned.

"Well… Fine." Namine faked being mad. At least now Riku had warning to be freaked out, and Namine was REALLY TIRED.

"Night!" She mumbled to him, and she cuddled next to Tifa on the smaller bed.

And so the memories took over.

***Flash***

'**NO! Please! Don't make me live another day!' Namine heard the thing next to her plead with the sky as it turned blue.**

**She waited until the scientists came. They tortured the poor thing until it DID die. Namine felt a small, sparkling tear fall down her cheek as she heard and almost FELT the pain the creature was going through. She probably actually felt it, as pain comes from your brain. She had no wounds and after the poor thing died she felt nothing, but for a few hours… The creature projected loud thoughts of pain. So loud that Namine decided to end it. For everyone.**

**She sent a blast at the poor thing's heart. It died instantly.**

**Namine envied it's quick release from this hell.**

**Then Namine tried to do the same to herself. The little beeper-thing hooked up to her arm stopped for a moment.**

**Namine tried again. It worked long enough for Namine to feel lightheaded and the beeper-thing to flat-line.**

**Namine felt a rush of relief when her blood started pumping again, but frowned. The scientists hadn't noticed her monitor flat-lining, they had been too worked up about the creature randomly dying.**

**Again, Namine forced all her thought into her heart holding still, but the little animal instinct inside her still held onto life.**

**Finally it was the tazer from the scientists that stopped her heart for good. The smell of charred flesh hit Namine's nose as she fell into a white room.**

'**Is this heaven?' Namine asked herself as she wandered around it. It was a plain white room, much like the white walls of the Organization's headquarters, but… nicer. There was a waving piece of white cloth on the side wall. Namine slowly walked towards it.**

**She lifted it and saw a window. Outside the window there was a small clearing leading to a forest. The view was oddly… familiar.**

**Then she was pulled back into life by paddles on her chest. She coughed and gasped.**

**The scientists were besides themselves, they HAD to figure out a way to stop her from doing that.**

**Then one came up with a plan… They did surgery on her mind and figured out how to disable something that would kill her, but let her keep her powers.**

**After that Namine got a new power, a power she told no one about.**

**She could talk to the dead.**

**Not like how Jenova and Areith talked through her, but actually talking to the dead. She spoke with her mother and Areith. On occasion Jenova. Once or twice she spoke to a man named Zack, but she had trouble speaking to his, seeing as she never met him, saw him, or had him speak through her.**

**And she had to endure the listening to dying creatures. Every day.**

**And she had no way to die.  
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***Flash***

"Holy shit. Namine! Your eyes…" Riku said, staring at Namine as she awoke.

"Happens all the time. Told you that you'd be freaked." Namine responded, groping around for her sketchbook.

"Here." Tifa said holding it out to her.

Namine's eyes were still half closed in tiredness, but she blearily drew out her dream onto a page. She flipped it over and continued to draw.

Riku snuck a glance and saw the horrific pictures on the page. He turned to Tifa.

"Why's she drawing that?" He asked.

"Because it helps her somehow. That's not all she used to draw. She used to draw really beautiful pictures of things, very detailed. Entire forests with individual leaves, veins on butterflies wings, feathers on a bird. You name it. Now… this."

"That's horrible." Riku mumbled, and the door burst open.

"Honey! How was your day?" Vexen asked from the top of the stairs.

"Horrible without you around." Namine answered with a pout on her face. She could feel Riku's confusion coming off him in waves.

"Aww… That's what I like to hear. Loz! Xaldin! Have fun with the others. In fact, we'll just all use this room today, no sense in dirtying two sheets." Vexen said thoughtfully.

"But sweetie, Tifa and I are girls. We rather like our privacy." Namine smiled cheerily, sending waves of persuasion at his mind.

"No, we want to let Riku know how things are done here." He said just as sweetly. Namine shrugged with a smile and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him.

"I want you to scream for me today, love." Vexen ordered Namine. She nodded. That way she could let out her true feelings.

Loz headed for Tifa, who still put up a pretty good fight, but he strapped her to a chair.

'_Riku…Sorry.'_ Namine thought to Riku. He was confused as he got it, but nodded in his mind, accepting her apology… for what, he had no idea.

Xaldin headed for Riku and started punching the shit out of him.

Loz started cutting Tifa and lowering her panties.

Vexen ripped off Namine's dress, revealing her cut up mess of a stomach. He slashed it with his knife and started punching. She screamed. He laughed.

At least Riku didn't get raped.

**Sora Pov**

Sora groaned as he sat up. His body hurt like hell. This was worse than when he got in a fight with Riku…

"Riku!" He shouted to the empty road. There was nothing in sight.

"FUCK!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, mentally kicking himself for letting this happen. Who knows what's happening to Riku?

Sora sighed and checked his pockets. There was $2.75. Enough for a pay-phone.

No pay phone in sight. Sora sighed again, knowing he'd have to walk forever and that it was going to hurt like hell. He got up and picked a direction.

Three hours of solid walking later and he found a gas station.

He walked in and saw there was a drinking fountain. Thanking God, the walked over and drank a ton of water. The gas station owner looked at his oddly, but said nothing.

He walked to the pay-phone and put in his quarters. He dialed Kairi's cell.

On the second ring she picked up.

"Hello?" She asked breathlessly.

"Kairi, thank God. I'm out in the middle of nowhere…. Can you get me?" He asked.

"Sure, we were searching for you and Riku, where are you?" She asked worriedly.

"Um… Where am I?" Sora asked the dude at the counter.

"Star-Station Convenience Store, 231 Coconut Avenue." The man answered. Sora repeated the info for Kairi.

"Okay, Cloud's got it in his GPS. Is Riku there too?" She questioned.

"No, I got shoved out a window and woke up three hours away from here. I only have two dollars left." Sora answered.

"What-" Kairi started, but was cut off.

"For more time, please put in $0.75 to continue call." Said a robotic voice.

Sora hung up and bought a Twix and an A&W.

This was gonna be a long week.


	8. Outta There!

***Hey! Sorry for the lateness, I was reading an awesome fanfiction called "Save The Kittens!". You peoples should totally check it out. Plus my fingers hurt from guitar practice… ugg, sore fingers. So, I've finished The Thirteenth Side! After I'm done with this fanfic I'll start uploading my new fic, and AkuRoku called Concrete House of Cards. So, without further ado… Death or Life!***

**Namine Pov**

Namine's eyes faded from bright blue as she awoke from Vexen's visit.

Riku was bleeding in a corner.

'Well shit.' Namine though.

She tried to sit up and groaned.

"No! Namine, stay right there. Just sit there, I'll get Riku." Tifa commanded.

"But…" Namine mumbled.

"No! I'm getting you pain killers." Tifa said, heading for the bathroom.

"No!" Namine gasped.

"Why not?" Tifa demanded.

"I need my powers…" Namine whispered.

"You NEED to heal. You can't stay like this!" Tifa said, a begging tone in her voice.

"Areith says that too." Namine mumbled to herself.

"No sweetie, Areith's dead. Now I'm getting meds. Just the goop." Tifa assured her.

"Okay." Namine whispered.

"Namine…" Riku trailed off, looking at the bloody girl.

"Riku… Don't get up. Just sit there. Tifa'll help you." Namine ordered.

Of course he didn't listen. He got up and walked to her.

"I'm the least hurt. What do you need me to do?" Riku asked.

"Just… make sure Tifa eats. And that she gets bandaged." Namine sighed.

The pain was too much. She sunk back into her mind.

***Flash***

Namine wandered around her little world. It was so quiet. Nice.

The walls were too empty though. Namine turned and found a sketchbook.

Perfect. She grabbed a pencil and began to draw.

A few hours later she covered the walls with pictures, pretty pictures, not sad ones.

This place was perfect, it was wonderful. Namine never wanted to leave.

But she had to. She had to get out of there; she had to get her friends out of there. They couldn't live if they stayed.

Plus it had been a week. Sephiroth was coming.

***Flash***

Namine gasped and sat up when she heard a banging on the door.

Tifa walked into the room and braced herself, she knew she was going to fight soon.

Riku, seeing the girls get up, summoned his blade.

I was glowing and half-solid. Riku wasn't strong enough to summon it all the way.

Namine half smiled, waiting.

The banging stopped.

Vexen walked down the stairs.

"You dirty witch!" He shrieked, crushing Namine's arm in an iron grip.

"What? Honey?" She asked, faking confusion.

"You told Sephiroth to come and rescue you! We had to put him to sleep! He killed Marluxia!" Vexen yelled, shaking the girl.

"You… You… he's… dead?" Namine stuttered.

"Yes! And it's all your fault! He was such a good specimen too… Always behaved…"Vexen trailed off, deep in thought.

"No… Seph… he-he CAN'T be dead… He promised he'd be okay…" Namine trailed off, aware that she was making no sense.

"Well he is. I don't know why you're so worked up about it, he was only an escape route to you." Vexen spat, "He was MY whole career."

"He wasn't just an escape route!" Namine yelled, tears running down her face, "He was… my brother." Namine let her head fall into her hands. He was the only person she was able to talk to back then… He was the thing that kept her sane, and in return she kept HIM sane.

Tifa gasped quietly. She had been hating Sephiroth for so long, he had been the one to kill Areith, the one to make Cloud so sad. And Namine loved him? He was her BROTHER?

"But I have a proposal. You have cost us dearly, Namine. But if you come to the lab… I'm willing to let Xion, Axel, Demyx, Zexion, Kairi, Tifa, and Sora go free. You just have to agree." Vexen smirked.

"You've never needed my permission before." Namine spat, tears still flowing from her eyes.

"Ah, but the government has found a little bit out about our experiments. They require consent forms and such. You just have to sign and your friends walk free. Otherwise, well, there's room for a few more people down here." Vexen laughed.

"What about Riku and Cloud?" Tifa asked from behind Namine, having noticed their names missing from the list that Vexen had spouted out.

"We need some DNA and such from them, but after that they'll be free as well." Vexen assured her.

"Can we have a minute?" Namine asked quietly.

"Yes darling." Vexen cooed and walked up the stairs.

As soon as he was out of sight Namine turned to Riku.

"Are you okay with this? I can read your mind, so I'll know if you're lying." Namine threatened.

"Not entirely, but if it'll keep Sora and Kairi safe… I'll manage." Riku said. Namine nodded.

"Tifa?" she asked, turning to the woman.

"Not okay at all, I'd rather be beating this bastard up." Tifa grumbled.

"Well, it seems you can't do that. I need to talk to Cloud, I'll be right back." Namine said, closing her eyes.

**Xion Pov**

Xion punched a wall.

"Axel… you need to take me somewhere where I can beat something up." She said in a deadly serious voice.

"No can do, we almost got something out of Seymour. He's so irritated by us talking about her all the time, I think it might work!" Axel exclaimed, gesturing for Xion to follow him.

"Fine. We can ask him if he maybe knows Namine's chem. teacher." Xion said, walking down the stairs with Axel.

**Cloud Pov**

Cloud shook his head. They had been in this hotel too long… they had to find Namine, Tifa, and Riku.

"Cloud?" Kairi asked from the other side of the room.

"Hmm?" He responded, looking at her.

"Uh, can you tell us anything? Cuz we REALLY want to know what's going on." Kairi whined.

"Well, other than the fact that both Namine and I came from the lab… there's not much I can tell you. I know Namine wants to tell you everything herself, so I can't even explain much about ME." Cloud said darkly.

"Please? Just tell me how you're siblings…" Kairi begged.

"Nope. You can talk to her when she gets out, she'll probably be going to your school anyways. You live so close to each other." Cloud said.

"We do?" Kairi asked, shocked.

"Yeah. And also, she WAS looking for you. But she could never find you." Cloud said, turning his Mako eyes to her.

"I was looking for her too, she just… never came up in any of my searches." Kairi mumbled.

"Well, now she knows where you are. That'll help her a lot." Cloud reassured Kairi as Namine called his name inside his head.

'Namine?' he asked.

'Yep. Vexen offered us a deal. He'd let everyone we know go free. Never to be hunted down again, free as birdies. But I have to go to the lab. Forever. And you and Riku have to go in for testing and stuff, but they'll let you go.' Namine informed him.

'No! You can't do that, they'll-" He was cut off by Namine as he tried to protest.

'Cloud, they threatened Kairi! They threatened Xion, and Axel, and Demyx and Zexion! They threatened Sora and I doubt they'll have a problem threatening Marlene and Denzel. Please, Cloud. I can't let them hurt anyone else. Please!' Namine begged.

'…'

'Cloud?'

'…Fine.'

'Thank you Cloud. I'm so sorry. But Tifa'll be free.' Namine said.

'Tell them… I'll be at the Star-Station Convenience Store.'

'Okay, bye Cloud.'

'See you soon.'

They disconnected.

"Change of plans. Namine wants her, Riku, and me to go to the lab. They'll let me and Riku out, but she has to stay there. She's doing it to protect everyone. Now, who has a plan?" Cloud asked Sora and Kairi.

"Well… we could… hide in the trunk of your car when you go to wherever you're going to meet them and… I don't know… pop out and beat the shit out of them? Kai could use her powers to tell us where the car last was, and since that would either be the lab's new location or where Namine is then we could save them!" Sora said.

"Well, that's not half bad… I kinda like it." Cloud mused.

**Xion Pov**

"We got the address!" Xion yelled to Zexion and Demyx as she waved a paper above her head.

"Seriously?" Zexion asked, looking at the paper and typing the numbers into his laptop as he walked to the car.

"Yep. Seymour gave it to us if we wouldn't tell the cops about his stealing from Ms. Yuna's house. I'll tell Ms. Yuna later anyways, but whatever." Xion grinned as she shifted the gears of the car.

Xion and her friends soon pulled up at a nondescript white house in a cliché neighborhood on the 'good side of town'.

So, rather than create a disturbance, she summoned her keyblade and unlocked the door.

And walked inside.

The first thing she saw was a giant blade. Cloud's sword!

She walked further into the house.

On the mantle there were pictures of Cloud and Tifa…

Xion took a left and was faced with a bedroom.

She opened the door.

There were dried flowers in a vase. A picture of Cloud and Areith in a photo booth. A picture of Cloud, Tifa, and Namine.

Damn, this was Cloud's room!

Xion whipped out her phone.

"Cloud!" She yelled when said man picked up.

"What?"

"They're at your house! Namine, Tifa, and Riku are at your house!" She hissed.

"What?" Cloud asked, confusion lacing his voice.

"I don't know where she is, but I can feel the connection…" Namine trailed off.

"No, we've gotta think of a plan." Cloud said quietly.

"Okay, what do you propose?" Xion asked.

"Well, first get out of that house. I've got an idea…"

**Namine Pov**

Unbeknownst to everyone else, Namine had a plan.

She was getting into the lab.

And she was going to kill every last person.

Then she'd set the prisoners free.

And kill the ones who didn't want to live.

A simple enough plan, but she'd need help.

And a potion.

"Riku!" she called, struggling against the pain to get up.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"You wouldn't happen to know where I could get a keyblade, do you?" She asked.

"Here." He summoned his.

She grabbed some goop, some weird chemicals for cleaning, threw some other stuff in, and cast a few spells with the blade.

A bubbling green liquid was the result.

Having only made this once before… she was a little wary, but drank it all the same.

Namine grimaced at the taste, but her wounds disappeared, she sat up.

"Why didn't you do that before?" Riku demanded.

"I don't have a keyblade. Neither does Tifa. That's the main part." Namine said, concentrating.

"Oh."

Vexen came back down the stairs.

"Namine! Are you all ready to go?" Vexen asked, holding a pen and paper to her.

"Yeah, but first Cloud told me to tell you that he's at the Star-Station Convenience Store." Namine reported.

"Oh good, I'll send Larxene and Saix to pick him up." Vexen smirked.

Namine took the pen.

And read the agreement.

It didn't say anything about sick experiments… all the government must know about is the medicine testing.

Good.

Namine signed.

And they left. For good.

***I know I said that Namine would get out by this chapter and she did, didn't she? Sort of? Whatever. I can't wait till next chapter!***


	9. No

***Hey! It's me, Roxy! Now, here's where it gets interesting… Remember, Xion's group and Cloud's group are planning, if I know Tifa she'd be planning too. Riku's planning, and we all know Namine's plan. Let's see if everything miraculously works out, or they all get in each other's way.***

**Xion Pov**

Xion headed for the Star-Station Convenience Store with Axel, Demyx, and Zexion. They parked and headed inside, where Cloud, Kairi, and Sora were waiting for them.

"Cloud!" Xion exclaimed, smiling despite her lack of sleep.

"Hey Xion! Kairi, Sora, this is Xion. She's Namine's best friend. This is Axel, Xion's boyfriend, and Demyx and Zexion. They escaped the lab with Namine." Cloud said, as introductions.

"Hey." Kairi said, looking up at Xion.

"So, what's the plan?" Axel asked, staring at Cloud.

"Well, Namine said something about an old scary man, right?" Cloud asked Xion.

"Well, not really SAID. She kinda showed him to me, he was all bald and had a pointy-ish beard… I don't think Namine meant to show him to me…" Xion trailed off.

"It's Master Xehanort, I know it. Eraqus was sure that he was a good guy, but… people change." Cloud said bitterly.

"So, you're in Master Xehanort's house, correct? So, it won't be that weird if you show up there. We can break out Tifa, Namine, and Riku, and just run away!" Demyx exclaimed.

"It's not that simple, Dem. They'll probably be suspicious by now as of why Cloud was not there this whole time. If they don't already know." Zexion answered.

"I don't understand why she didn't already ask Sephiroth to break her out. She knows that he'd go to the ends of the earth for her." Xion thought aloud.

"You don't know?" Zexion asked, surprised.

"Know what?" Xion asked in return.

"He's not… active. He's either dead or… I don't know, something like it." Zexion responded.

"What? How…?" Xion trailed off in shock.

"I can sense them. He's… gone. Vexen's alive, Namine's alive, Tifa's alive. I don't know about Riku, I never really… met him." Zexion admitted.

"Then… why couldn't you tell us where Namine is?" Cloud demanded.

"Well, I can sense them, but I can't tell where they are. If I spent enough time around someone, I can tell if they're alive or dead. Sephiroth died suddenly, and I sensed it. But I can only identify them and tell if they're alive or not." Zexion answered calmly.

"So… You'll be able to tell if anyone dies?" Sora asked, folding his arms behind his head.

"Yeah. Sorry about the lab, by the way." Zexion said.

"Huh? Oh! You were one of the guys they made us fight, right." Sora remembered.

"Me too." Axel said.

"I expect an apology." Demyx fake grumbled, "You kicked my ass."

"Haha, I remember that." Sora grinned, "Sorry."

"Anyways, what's the plan?" Xion asked.

"Well…" Cloud started explaining.

**Namine Pov**

Namine sighed in the back of the car.

At least Tifa was fine, she had been left in the basement room, drugged so that she wouldn't be able to follow.

Namine swallowed hard. She was going back to the place she despised so much.

But she smiled inside when she thought of her plan.

Riku sat beside her, blindfolded, as she was. She was wearing a long black dress, he was wearing a hooded cloak, as was the Organization's uniform. He was an "employee" and she was a "volunteer". Vexen had decided to drive them straight to the lab, sending Larxene to pick up Cloud.

He had promised to be alone, otherwise Tifa would be killed.

Namine sighed, reading Riku's thoughts.

'Riku… you're not strong enough for that to work, you can barley summon your blade.' Namine reminded him.

'I know, I just… can't go down without a fight, now can I?' He asked in his head.

'Just sit back and watch the show.' She said mysteriously.

The car stopped, they were there.

They left Riku's blindfold on, but removed Namine's.

"This will be your home for the next… forever, darling!" Vexen exclaimed, gesturing to the large, nondescript building.

"Okay." She said quietly.

"What's troubling you, dear?" Vexen asked, sickening Namine with those stupid pet names.

"I just… miss Sephiroth." She said quietly.

"Get over it, he's not me so why should you care?" He said harshly.

"Okay." She barley whispered.

They pulled into the underground parking lot and two huge men with the hoods of their cloaks low over their faces pulled the two into the building.

The first thing they did was shove Namine into a dog crate and take Riku away.

'Riku, are you okay?' she asked, worried already.

'I'm fine. I'll tell you if anything happens.' He promised.

'Thanks, I have a plan.' She confessed.

'Might want to put it into action soon, I heard Vexen order Larxene to bring about half the Organization to get Cloud.' Riku told her.

She disconnected and called out Cloud's name.

'Yeah?' He asked a few seconds later.

'I know you have a plan, I have one too. Spill.' She said.

'We're gonna beat everyone up and rescue you.' Cloud admitted.

'Good, take out the rescue part, you'll see why.' Namine said as she disconnected their minds.

Her memories and her world were wearing on her, but she refused to give in. She promised herself that she would as soon as she got out.

If she got out.

She used her nails to cut the sides of her long dress, she'd need room to run.

Lexaeus walked past. Now or never.

**Cloud Pov**

Sora, Kairi, Xion, Axel, Demyx, and Zexion waited inside as Cloud strolled out of the store.

Larxene was driving. This would be fun.

Cloud summoned his blade. It was in his house, but he could summon it to wherever he needed it.

A bunch of Organization members and "dusks" jumped out of the car.

"Dusks" were the Organization's lackeys. They were "successful" experiments, meaning, they were poor brainwashed kids, forced to do the Organization's dirty work.

Cloud whistled and the others ran out of the store. They took out all the Dusks easily.

Then the Organization members came out of the car, one by one. A stupid move on their part, their combined power took out the Organization easily, leaving them on the side of the road.

They ran into the car and Kairi drove to a plain building. She drove into an underground parking lot and told everyone to wait.

Then she called Namine.

**Kairi Pov**

Getting a hold of Namine wasn't easy. She seemed to be focusing all her energy into something, but Kairi couldn't tell what it was.

'Kai, what is it?' She asked, her mind voice sounding breathless, if that was possible.

'Cloud said you had a plan… We're in the parking lot if you need us.' Kairi said quickly.

'What? No! Just… drive away as fast as you can! Riku will be coming out soon, grab him and drive!' Namine yelled.

'Will you be okay?' Kairi asked.

'No, but I'll live… probably. Don't try to save me, you'll only end up dead.' She warned.

'But… We can save you…' Kairi trailed off, not wanting to leave her sister.

'No, you can't, please Kai… Please do this. Just lie to the others, tell them that I'll be fine, and get Riku! Get Tifa too, she's still at the house.' Namine commanded.

'Okay Nami, but if you die…' Kairi trailed off.

'I know, you might too. But…' Namine also trailed off.

'What?'

'Nothing, just get out of here, Riku's in the parking lot!'

It was true, Kairi could see the familiar head of silver hair bobbing towards her.

'Okay, I WILL see you later.' Kairi threatened.

'I know.' Namine said softly. She disconnected.

Riku climbed into the car.

"What's up with Namine?" He asked as Sora gasped at his bruised and bloody state.

"She… She'll be fine. She has an awesome plan. But we have to drive away. Sora, can you use your key to drive a car to Cloud's old house? In the basement there's a girl who looks three times worse than Riku with black hair. Her name's Tifa. Bring her back here." Kairi commanded.

"Kay." He said, jumping out of the car and driving away. Kairi drove a block away, still in view of the place, and waited.

**Namine Pov**

Namine made sure that they were gone. Then she went to find Vexen.

"Darling, what are you doing here?" He asked, seemingly happy.

"Don't ever call me that again." Namine snarled, going from her usual calm quietness to a raging bitch in seconds.

"What?" He asked. Honestly confused.

"I can feel him. Sephiroth. He's alive." She hissed.

"Yes, did you really think we'd waste such a perfect project? Of course not! He's just… in a coma." Vexen said.

"Not anymore." She smirked. Vexen whirled around when he heard a beeping from a machine beside him. Sephiroth wasn't in the building anymore.

"No…" He whispered in disbelief.

"Yes. I'm going to kill every last person who did this to us. Then I'm going to hunt down anyone else attached to this place. You better start praying Vexen, because I've heard that God isn't so merciful when you harm innocent children." She said darkly.

What?" He asked, confusion fully evident in his voice and mind.

Namine didn't answer, she was concentrating.

She shattered her connection with Kairi.

She gasped.

Then she let the power that she had been holding back for so long envelop her body. It coursed through her veins and lifted her off the ground, reminding her of the time she was possessed.

Then she curled into a ball, still in midair. She knew that her whole form was glowing.

Then she let it go. It was like a bomb erupted, exploding the building.

And then there was blackness.

**Kairi Pov**

Kairi clutched her heart, gasping for breath.

Namine had broken their connection.

She couldn't feel her twin anymore.

She felt… empty.

"Namine…" She whispered. Xion turned towards her, seeing a tear run down Kairi's face.

"No…" She gasped.

The building rippled.

"No…" Axel murmured, staring at it.

There was a sudden flash of light.

"No." Zexion and Demyx said in unison.

The building exploded, bits flying everywhere. There was fire and chaos as they watched experiments run from the wreckage, released seconds before the building blew up.

"No!" Cloud yelled, jumping out of the car and running towards the blaze. He stopped halfway, falling to his knees.

The energy was too much for him. He could feel the power radiating out from it. All of it from Namine.

"Namine…" Riku trailed off, astonished by what she had done.

'Namine! NAMINE! NAMI! NOO!' Kairi yelled in her mind, desperately trying to piece her connection with her sister back together.

Sephiroth stood next to Cloud. He helped the blonde to his feet.

"Why?" Was all Cloud asked when he realized who was helping him.

"Namine… wouldn't want me to fight you." Sephiroth said quietly.

Xion suddenly burst into tears.

"Namine! You can't be dead!" She screamed, summoning her keyblade. She smashed everything in sight that wasn't the car.

This couldn't be happening.

***Muahahahaha! I am evil! But don't worry, I'm not as evil as you think.***


	10. The End, Or Is It?

***Hey, It's Xoxoroxas yet again. This may or may not be the last chapter, but fear not! I shall write a sequel! Actually, the sequel it what my idea actually came from… whatever. So, read on, readers!***

**Xion Pov**

It had been two weeks since Namine… died.

And everyone was going about their business as usual.

Xion was trying to get acquainted to Kairi more. Kairi had told her that they were moving to Twilight Town the next year.

Xion told her that it was a great idea, but inside she was miserable. Kairi would just remind her of Namine.

And Namine wasn't here anymore.

Axel tried to comfort her, but she didn't want it. She just wanted to be sad about her best friend.

She sighed and ran her hands through her short hair.

At least Seymour didn't notice. Namine's room was still the same.

And she slept in it almost every night, crying about her best friend.

But when she awoke one morning there was another body in her bed.

"Axel, get out of the bed." Xion sighed.

"Xion? Is that you?" Was the reply, in the most painfully familiar voice Xion had ever heard.

"N-Namine?" She gasped, lifting the covers to see the blonde girl.

"Hi." Namine smiled.

Xion's smile almost split her face in half as she hugged Namine, squeezing the life out of her.

"Namine…" Xion trailed off, still in shock.

"I couldn't die because of that, I was just buried under the rubble, protected by a ball of my power. Sephiroth dug me out." She smiled.

"But… we thought you were dead!" Xion exclaimed.

"I know. But I'm not." Namine sighed. Xion pulled back and looked into Namine's eyes.

They were very blue. TOO blue.

"Namine…?" She asked.

"So, don't you like all my paintings? Look, they're all on the walls!" Namine giggled, pointing at empty walls.

"Nami… Are you okay?" Xion asked.

Namine's eyes faintly glowed green.

"No. I'm not. I'm trapped in my world and my memories. That's what happened when I released all my power." Namine mumbled darkly.

"But…" Xion trailed off. Namine's eyes turned too blue again and she smiled.

"Let's go show Axel my pictures!" She exclaimed, dragging Xion to Axel's room.

***Okay, that's the end, don't kill me! The sequel will be up before you know it!***


End file.
